Executive summary

Summary

1. In 2013-14 the overall workload for legal aid consisted of over 1.8 million acts of assistance. The LAA spent just over £1.7 billion in 2013-14 on funding advice for criminal and civil legal matters. Of this, £0.9 billion was spent on criminal legal aid and around £0.8 billion was spent on civil legal aid.

2. Acts of assistance were at their highest in 2009-10. Since this peak the volume has fallen by just over 39 per cent; within this reduction the criminal legal aid area has reduced by almost 14 per cent but the majority of the fall has come from the civil justice area which has reduced by almost two-thirds over this period.

Figure 1: –Overall summary of acts of assistance (000’s) since 2007-08

| Type | Area | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-----------------------|---------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Acts of assistance | Crime lower | 1,379 | 1,432 | 1,408 | 1,338 | 1,252 | 1,235 | 1,203 | | | Crime higher | 124 | 124 | 126 | 131 | 139 | 123 | 121 | | | Crime total | 1,502 | 1,556 | 1,534 | 1,469 | 1,391 | 1,358 | 1,324 | | Legal help | | 835 | 1,164 | 1,266 | 1,096 | 940 | 782 | 381 | | Civil representation | | 166 | 150 | 165 | 150 | 146 | 144 | 116 | | Civil total | | 1,000 | 1,314 | 1,431 | 1,246 | 1,086 | 925 | 497 |

Crime

3. Workload in the wider Criminal Justice System (CJS) has fallen and as a consequence work further down the system has also seen a fall. The largest reduction in overall workload within criminal legal aid has been in the magistrates’ court area with a drop of 21 per cent in completed proceedings between 2008 and 2013.

4. The last few years have seen falls in volume in the crime higher category. These have been driven by a fall in the volume of representations in the Crown Court. Expenditure in crime higher has also decreased over the last three years.

5. There was a steady decline in the number of crime lower acts of assistance between 2008-09 and 2012-13, which has stabilised in the last 18 months. There has been a 16 per cent decrease in crime lower workload since 2008-09 and a three per cent fall in the last year.

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1 Table 3.1 of the main tables in Court Statistics (Quarterly) January to March 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly Civil

6. There have been changes in the makeup of levels of service funded by civil legal aid. The volumes of new matters started for legal help have fallen by over 80 per cent between 2009-10 and 2013-14. The number of certificates granted for civil representation has fallen by 30 per cent between 2010-11 and 2013-14.

7. In 2013-14 there were large decreases across the civil legal aid area, driven by changes to the scope of legal aid as set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO).

Appealing Decisions

8. The number of appeals against representation decisions on financial and legal grounds has fallen by 11 per cent when compared to the previous year. The proportion of appeals granted has remained fairly steady over the last seven years with a slight fall in the last two years.

9. The number of appeals against representation provided had been in decline between 2008-09 and 2011-12 with a fall of 25 per cent in the period. However, the figures in 2012-13 showed an increase of 19 per cent compared to the previous year. There has been a two per cent fall in 2013-14, but numbers are still above the low point of 2011-12.

Exceptional Case Funding

10. Clause 10 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) introduced the practice of applying for Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) from the 1 April 2013.

11. In 2013-14 1,520 total ECF applications were received by the LAA. 69 per cent of these applications were for family or immigration cases. The majority of applications (95 per cent) were made by legal aid providers. In 2013-14 69 ECF applications were granted.

Providers

12. Since 2007-08 the number of civil providers has nearly halved (as at the end of the financial year) and criminal providers under contract have decreased by 16 per cent. In the last year the number civil providers have reduced by almost a quarter compared to the previous year. Crime providers have decreased by five per cent in the same period.

Clients

13. The overall criminal legal aid client gender profile differs from the national profile with a greater proportion of young and male clients. The overall civil legal aid client diversity profile differs from the national profile with a greater proportion of clients from BAME origin and with a disability.

## Contents

| Section | Page | |------------------------------------------------------------------------|------| | Executive summary | 2 | | Contents | 4 | | Introduction | 5 | | Analysis and Commentary | 8 | | Criminal legal aid | 11 | | Crime higher | 12 | | Crime lower | 15 | | Civil & Family – Community Legal Service | 19 | | Family | 20 | | Family Mediation | 21 | | Non-family – social welfare law (SWL) | 22 | | Non-family – low volume (LV) | 22 | | Tribunals | 23 | | Appealing decisions | 25 | | Exceptional Case Funding: applications and determination | 26 | | Provider information | 28 | | Clients of Legal Aid | 30 | | Timeliness | 33 | | Tables | 36 | | Annex A - Glossary of key terms | 64 | | Annex B - Explanatory notes | 70 | | Annex C - Contact points for further information | 72 | Introduction

This report presents the key statistics on activity in the legal aid system for England and Wales. It provides information for the latest twelve months (April 2013 to March 2014) with accompanying commentary, analysis and presentation of longer term trends.

The data provides users with information about legal advice, legal representation and eventual outcomes in England and Wales. The contents of this bulletin will be of interest to government policy makers in the development of policy and their subsequent monitoring and evaluation. Others will be interested in the way different categories of law are dealt with and the use of legal aid within the system.

The report is to be used in conjunction with the LAA Annual Report 2013-14 and Accounts which provides more detail on expenditure within the legal aid system.

Further information on the terminology used within the bulletin can be found in ‘Annex A – Glossary of key terms’

Guidance on the symbols and conventions used in the bulletin is provided in ‘Annex B – Explanatory notes’.

If you have any feedback, questions or requests for further information about this statistical bulletin, please direct them to the appropriate contact given at the end of this report ‘Annex C – Contact points for further information’.

Creation of the Legal Aid Agency

Until April 2013 the Legal Services Commission (LSC) was a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) with statutory duties in relation to the Community Legal Service Fund (CLSF) and Criminal Defence Service (CDS), funding legal advice and representation in civil and criminal law. On 1 April 2013 the LSC was abolished as a result of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012. An executive agency of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was created to administer legal aid from 1 April 2013, called the Legal Aid Agency (LAA).

The legal aid system dates from 1949. The scheme was administered by the Law Society, the professional body which regulates and represents solicitors, until the Legal Aid Act 1988, which established the Legal Aid Board. Following the doubling of the legal aid budget in the early 1990’s a review of the system was carried out in 1997, leading to the Access to Justice Act 1999 and the LSC. The latest review recommended that the LSC align more closely with the MoJ and therefore the LSC as a NDPB was abolished and the LAA, an executive agency was created as a result of the LASPO Act 2012.

LASPO Act 2012

As well as creating the LAA, the LASPO Act also made changes to the scope and eligibility of legal aid and to exceptional case funding. These changes came into effect from 1 April 2013 and so will be reflected in this report. The full details of the LASPO Act can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/10/enacted Workload

For many areas of civil law, the implementation of the LASPO Act will mean a reduction of workload. In particular areas affected include:

- Family – legal aid is now only available for private family law cases (such as contact or divorce) if there is evidence of domestic violence or child abuse and child abduction cases. Legal aid remains available for public family law cases (such as adoption).

- Social Welfare – legal aid has been removed (with some exceptions) for debt, employment, housing and welfare benefits.

- Low Volume – legal aid has been removed (with some exceptions) or reduced for clinical negligence, education and personal injury.

- Tribunals – the majority of immigration work is no longer covered by legal aid.

Exceptional Case Funding (ECF)

If a case falls outside the scope of legal aid, funding may still be provided if the case is deemed ‘exceptional’. A case will be deemed as such if failure to provide legal aid would be, or would result in, a breach of the individual’s rights under the European Convention of Human Rights. There is a section in this report on ECF applications and determination.

Telephone Gateway

The LASPO Act has created a mandatory gateway through the ‘Community Legal Advice’ helpline for those seeking legal advice in relation to debt, special education needs and discrimination claims relating to a breach of the Equality Act 2010. This means that the only way clients can obtain legal aid for these types of cases is by calling the helpline. Gateway call operators and specialist advisers will assess the specific needs of callers on a case by case basis and will refer them to a face to face advice service if they consider it necessary.

Transforming Legal Aid

The LASPO Act also required the LAA to implement a number of changes to the way legal aid is administered, through the Legal Aid Reform programme.

The Legal Aid Transformation programme has since been put in place to examine the possibilities of further legal aid savings, including the concept of tendering to be a criminal legal aid provider, and to identify ways in which public confidence can be improved.

As a result the following reforms were effective from 2 December 2013:

- Reform of fees in criminal Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs)
- Changes to the scope of prison law eligible for legal aid
- Changes to the rules for use of multiple advocates for criminal legal aid
- Changes to experts’ fees for both civil and criminal law
- Removal of the uplift for permission and appeal work for immigration and asylum law
- Harmonising Barrister fees – for civil (non-family) law

The following reforms are effective from 27 January 2014:

- Changes to the Crown Court means test for criminal legal aid
- Removing legal aid for cases with borderline prospects of success

The following reform is effective from 20 March 2014:

- Interim Fee Cut for criminal legal aid work of 8.75 per cent (excluding VHCCs)

The full effect of these changes will not be seen in this report as reforms were implemented part way through the year.

Scope of the report

The LAA administers the legal aid system for England and Wales only. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legal aid systems, administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board and Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission respectively. Analysis and Commentary

This analysis presents the information collected on legal aid administered by the LAA and covers the two areas of work, crime and civil. It also includes sections for timeliness, the appealing of decisions, information on providers of legal aid and lastly a view of the clients who have used legal aid in 2013-14.

Summary of 2013-14

In 2013-14 overall workload for legal aid was over 1.8 million acts of assistance compared to 2.3 million in 2012-13, a fall of 20 per cent. This can be broken down into two main justice areas, crime and civil:

**Legal aid**

- **Criminal legal aid**

  - This includes work carried out in police stations and in courts in relation to people accused of or charged with criminal offences.
  - Provides legal advice and representation to people being investigated or charged with a criminal offence.
  - Split into crime higher and crime lower.
  - Crime higher is legal representation in the Crown Court and above.
  - Criminal Lower is work carried out by legal aid providers at police stations and in magistrates’ courts in relation to people accused of or charged with criminal offences. Prison law is also included within this category.

- **Civil legal aid**

  - This includes work that relates to the rights and relations of private citizens- for examples, disputes relating to unpaid debts and family matters.
  - A network of organisations that fund, provide and promote civil legal advice and representation.
  - Split into legal help and civil representation.
  - Legal help includes advice and assistance about a legal problem, but does not include representation or advocacy in proceedings.
  - Civil Representation is representation by solicitors and barristers for civil cases, which could go to court.

LAA spent just over £1.7 billion in 2013-14 on funding advice for criminal and civil legal matters compared to £1.9 billion in 2012-13, a fall of 11 per cent. Of the spend in 2013-14, £0.9 billion was spent on criminal legal aid and around £0.8 billion was spent on civil legal aid.

Within these two broad categories crime lower and legal help have the highest volumes in terms of acts of assistance but, as figure 2 shows, they make up a small percentage of the total expenditure. In contrast, crime higher and civil representation are comparatively low in volume, but combined they make up over 70 per cent of the expenditure. Figure 2: The percentage of workload and the percentage of expenditure by crime type, 2013-14

Trends over time

Volumes, in terms of the number of acts of assistance, were at their highest in 2009-10. Since this peak volumes have fallen by just over 39 per cent; within this reduction the criminal legal aid area has reduced by almost 14 per cent but the majority of the fall has come from the civil justice area which has reduced by almost two-thirds over this period.

Figure 3: Acts of assistance provided, 2007-08 to 2013-14 Following the trend in acts of assistance the total expenditure on legal aid also reached its peak in 2009-10, but this trend has subsequently been reversed with expenditure in 2013-14 down by 24 per cent from the peak.

**Figure 4**: Legal aid expenditure split by crime and civil, 2007-08 to 2013-14

The increase for civil expenditure matched the rise in workload until the peak in 2009-10, where the fund split between civil and crime was almost even.

Since 2009-10 expenditure on both crime and civil legal aid has fallen, with the civil legal aid area falling somewhat earlier and further than criminal legal aid. Criminal legal aid

The diagram below shows the availability of legal aid flows throughout the Criminal Justice System (CJS) with legal services touching on the system from start to finish.

Figures given in this report reflect each of the areas above with information from pre-charge, the early court system and prison assistance found in the crime lower section and the more serious Crown Court, Higher Courts and high cost case information provided in the crime higher section.

Workload in the wider CJS has fallen and as a consequence work further down the system has also seen a fall. The largest reduction in overall workload within criminal legal aid has been in the magistrates’ court area with a drop of 21 per cent in completed proceedings between 2008 and 2013.

Prison law is the only area of criminal legal aid in which volumes have risen compared to 2007-08, with an increase of ten per cent. However, volumes within prison law have been gradually falling since 2009-10.

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2 Table 3.1 of the main tables in Court Statistics (Quarterly) January to March 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly Figure 5: Volumes within criminal legal aid area 2013-14

Crime higher

117,000 (9%)

Crime lower

1,203,000 (91%)

Crime

1,320,000 (100%)

Crown Court

112,000 (8%)

Very High Cost Cases

12 (\<0.1%)

Court of Appeal and Supreme Court

5,000 (0.4%)

Pre-charge suspects

736,000 (56%)

Magistrates’ courts

419,000 (32%)

Charged defendants

13,000 (1%)

Prison law

35,000 (3%)

Note: figures have been rounded so may not sum to totals

Crime higher

All criminal cases are potentially within the scope of the criminal legal aid scheme, subject to the Interests of Justice test and the means test operating to exclude cases.

The last few years have seen falls in volume in the crime higher category (see figure 6). These have been driven by a fall in the volume of representations in the Crown Court. Expenditure in crime higher has also decreased over the last three years, with falls in all three categories.

Figure 6: Workload within crime higher, 2011-12 to 2013-14

| Year | Representation at Crown Court | Very High Cost Cases | Court of Appeal and Supreme Court | |----------|-------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------------| | 2011-12 | 132,570 | 28 | 5,778 | | 2012-13 | 123,120 | 20 | 5,643 | | 2013-14 | 111,927 | 12 | 4,906 |

Note: Figures for Representation at Crown court are based on litigator graduated fee scheme only. Representations at Crown Court

The workload in the Crown Court can be broadly split into the following categories:

- **Either way offence**: An offence which can be tried either before the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court.
- **Indictable offence**: A criminal offence that can only be tried in the Crown Court.
- **Committed for sentence**: A case where a magistrate decides that the penalties available to them are inadequate and commits the case to the crown court for sentencing.
- **Appeals**: The Crown Court deals with appeals from magistrates’ court against conviction and sentence.

There has been an increase of nine per cent in the volume of publicly funded representations within the Crown Court in the last year. This is driven by a 22 per cent increase in either way cases, which is similar to trends in Crown Court completions(^3). The number of trials for indictable only offences in the Crown Court remained almost unchanged from the previous year, committals to the Crown Court for sentencing fell by nine per cent and appeals against sentencing and verdicts from the magistrates’ courts fell by 15 per cent.

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(^3) Table 3.2 of the main tables in Court Statistics (Quarterly) January to March 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly Very High Cost Cases (VHCCs)

VHCCs are those cases in which, if the case were to proceed to trial, it would be likely to last more than 60 days. These cases can span a number of years and while the volumes are relatively small the number of related contracts with providers and the amount spent are high in comparison. The LAA makes decisions in relation to authority to incur expenditure for expert reports and runs a High Cost Case contracting scheme seeking to limit expenditure on the small number of Crown Court cases that account for a large proportion of total expenditure on criminal legal aid.

Total expenditure on VHCC in 2013-14 was £57 million, a reduction of 16 per cent compared to the previous year. Falling VHCC costs are due to changes in rates paid and also a general change in the number of cases that are dealt with under the graduated fee schemes that cover all other casework. This area represents less than one per cent of the volume but ten per cent of the overall cost of publicly funded cases in the Crown Court.

For each VHCC opened there may be multiple defendants, each represented by a different provider, with separate VHCC contracts. Figure 9 below shows the number of VHCC’s opened since 2006-07, together with the number of individual contracts signed, contracts closed and the total expenditure. In 2013-14, 11 of the 12 cases opened were for fraud cases. Figure 9: VHCC workload since 2006-07

| Financial Year | High Cost Crime Cases Opened | High Cost Crime Contracts Opened | High Cost Crime Contracts Closed | High Cost Crime Expenditure (£m) | |----------------|-----------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------| | 2006-07 | 56 | 417 | 426 | 105 | | 2007-08 | 54 | 391 | 399 | 125 | | 2008-09 | 63 | 437 | 433 | 112 | | 2009-10 | 55 | 426 | 313 | 95 | | 2010-11 | 33 | 264 | 460 | 93 | | 2011-12 | 28 | 227 | 294 | 92 | | 2012-13 | 20 | 112 | 222 | 68 | | 2013-14 | 12 | 72 | 216 | 57 |

Court of Appeal and Supreme Court

Volumes in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have fallen in the last three years, and expenditure has followed a similar trend. The largest volume in this area comes from the court of appeal, in 2013-14 court of appeal cases made up 87 per cent of this category.

Crime lower

There was a steady decline in the crime lower workload between 2008-09 and 2012-13, although this has stabilised in the last 18 months. There has been a 21 per cent decrease in crime lower workload since 2008-09 compared to a two per cent fall in the last year. Pre-charge suspects

Pre-charge work is the largest area of crime lower and in 2013-14 it made up over 60 per cent of the workload. Anyone in England and Wales who is interviewed by the police or attends a police station can receive advice funded by legal aid either on the telephone or by a solicitor in attendance with the suspect. The LAA has limited control over the volume of police station claims. Changes to police numbers and priorities will lead to changes in the number of arrests, charges and cautions.

The overall workload in 20013-14 remained stable compared to the previous year (see figure 11). Over time the trend has been gradually decreasing from a peak in 2008-09. A similar trend can be seen in recorded crime figures which have also been reducing in the same period4.

The majority of the pre-charge workload consists of suspects receiving legal help with a solicitor in attendance. In 2013-14 the volume of this work was eight per cent lower than the peak in 2008-09.

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4 [http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/period-ending-december-2013/stb-crime-stats-dec-2013.html#tab-Overall-level-of-crime](http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/crime-stats/crime-statistics/period-ending-december-2013/stb-crime-stats-dec-2013.html#tab-Overall-level-of-crime) There has been a steady decline in telephone advice given with figures in 2013-14 nearly 40 per cent lower than in 2008-09. Workload in other police station work has also fallen, and is now less than half of the peak in 2008-09.

**Figure 11: Volume of workload with pre-charge suspects**

![Graph showing workload with pre-charge suspects](image)

**Magistrates’ court**

The overall workload in magistrates’ courts where a representation order is required (including court duty solicitor sessions) in 2013-14 fell by five per cent when compared to the previous year. The trend follows the general fall in workload over the last few years with a 29 per cent reduction when compared with 2007-08. This is consistent with the trend in the magistrates’ court workload which has fallen by 21 per cent between 2008 and 2013(^5). This is driven by the fall in those where a representation order is required as these cases account for more than 80 per cent of the magistrates’ court workload.

**Prison Law**

In Prison law there was a 49 per cent increase in volume between 2007-08 and 2009-10, but since then figures have been gradually decreasing (see figure 12). 2013-14 has seen a 14 per cent fall compared to the previous year. From December 2013, under the Legal Aid Reform programme, there were changes to the scope of legal aid available for prison law(^6). The effect of these changes on the figures for 2013-14 will be limited as they were introduced part way through the year, but they may have been a factor in the large decrease this year.

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(^5) Completed proceedings in table 3.1 of the main tables in Court Statistics (Quarterly) January to March 2014 [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly](https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly)

(^6) [http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/parole-board](http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/parole-board) Three quarters of prison law cases in 2013-14 were for free standing advice and assistance cases. The Parole Board considered over four thousand (13 per cent) at a legal aid funded oral hearings and finally the LAA also funded over four thousand (12 per cent) disciplinary hearing claims, which were heard by Independent Adjudicators (IAs). Many events and issues in people’s lives require legal assistance, these can be simple phone calls to a not for profit advice centre or a long drawn out divorce with attempted mediation and further court appearances.

Legal help is usually the first point of civil legal advice and covers help via telephone, face-to-face and not for profit centres. Many of these will then extend into civil representation with full investigations undertaken or in court representation given although it is possible enter straight into civil representation.

A wide of range of categories of civil law are covered within the legal aid provisions although the availability of legal help has changed over time to reflect the changing nature of the civil system. These wide ranging categories, including debt, immigration and divorce, and the type of work contained within each are given in Annex A.

There have been changes in the makeup of levels of service funded by civil legal aid. The volumes of new matters started for legal help have fallen by over 80 per cent between 2009-10 and 2013-14. The number of certificates granted for civil representation have fallen by 30 per cent between 2010-11 and 2013-14.

The longer term trend in civil representation is consistent with the trend in civil courts statistics which show a steady decrease in the total number of hearings and trial since 2008.

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7 See table 1.1 of the main tables in Court Statistics (Quarterly) January to March 2014 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/court-statistics-quarterly Figure 13: Volumes within civil legal aid area (acts of assistance, excludes housing possession court duty scheme and telephone operator service)

1 The figure for family mediation is not included within the Family (private) total

Note: figures have been rounded so may not sum to totals. Figures are taken from legal help matters started and civil representation certificates granted.

Family

The category of family legal aid covers work on both private and public law and includes work associated with the Children Act, domestic abuse, financial provision and family mediation. Figures for each category are not available for legal help matters.

In the last four years volumes in family law have been decreasing. However, in the last year there has been a 60 per cent drop compared to the year before. This change is likely to be driven by the change in scope for legal aid as a result of the LASPO Act. From the civil representation figures, the largest falls have been in private law Children’s Act proceedings (over 30,000 fewer certificates granted). This is consistent with the changes implemented under LASPO as legal aid is now only available for private family law cases if there is evidence of domestic violence or child abuse and for child abduction cases.

Despite large falls in other areas of the family workload, decreases in family public law have been much smaller. Family public cases are primarily driven by the issuing of proceedings by individual Local Authorities. These cases are non-means and merits tested, and LAA has no control over the volume of these cases. Family Mediation

The process of settling outside of the court system using alternative dispute resolution is cheaper and quicker than using the courts but it also allows for a more flexible approach. Increasingly the courts have introduced a mediation stage in proceedings to encourage parties to settle rather than litigate their dispute to the end.

Family mediation allows a neutral mediator help the parties to reach a mutually acceptable compromise while conciliation gives the mediator the power to suggest grounds for compromise.

Arbitration is the voluntary submission by the parties of their dispute to the judgment of a neutral arbitrator. Agreement is normally contained in writing in a contract. The main advantages are seen as expertise, speed and flexibility and the fact that arbitrations are private.

Figure 15: Family mediation figures since 2006-07

| Financial year | Assessments | Mediation Starts | Starts as % of assessments | Agreements | Agreements as % of Starts | |----------------|-------------|------------------|---------------------------|------------|--------------------------| | 2006-07 | 22,758 | 13,918 | 61% | 8,996 | 65% | | 2007-08 | 22,665 | 13,239 | 58% | 9,164 | 69% | | 2008-09 | 24,152 | 13,537 | 56% | 8,989 | 66% | | 2009-10 | 27,138 | 14,745 | 54% | 9,939 | 67% | | 2010-11 | 26,388 | 14,186 | 54% | 9,920 | 70% | | 2011-12 | 31,338 | 15,357 | 49% | 9,799 | 64% | | 2012-13 | 30,662 | 13,609 | 44% | 9,076 | 67% | | 2013-14 | 13,354 | 8,400 | 63% | 6,613 | 79% |

The use of mediation has fallen in the last year (see figure 15), but this may be due to the reduction in scope of legal aid due to the LASPO Act and coincides with a fall in the total number of family cases. Whilst volumes have decreased, the last year has seen an increase in the proportion of assessments that then turn into mediation starts. The number of full and partial agreements has also decreased, but in 2013-14 the proportion of those reaching agreements rose to 79 per cent of all mediation proceedings started. This is an increase compared to previous years where around two-thirds of those starting full mediation reached agreement without having to enter the court system.

Non-family – social welfare law (SWL)

The social welfare law categories include community care, debt, housing and welfare benefits. This area was impacted by the LASPO Act changes and this is reflected in the statistics for the last year. Social welfare volumes have fallen by 79 per cent in 2013-14 compared to 2012-13. Within this the largest falls were in welfare (over 88,000 fewer) and debt (nearly 80,000 fewer) when compared to the previous year.

Although there have been big falls in the last year, social welfare volumes have been falling since 2010-11. In this category overall there was a 29 per cent fall between 2010-11 and 2012-13, with falls across all five areas (see figure 16).

In 2013-14 housing was the largest volume area, making up 89 per cent of social welfare, with community care making up a further six per cent and debt four per cent.

**Figure 16: Workload in non-family social welfare law, 2010-11 to 2013-14**

| | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Social Welfare | 411,647 | 368,123 | 294,839 | 64,291 | | Community care | 7,097 | 7,453 | 6,242 | 3,848 | | Debt | 128,825 | 109,511 | 81,984 | 2,561 | | Employment | 25,450 | 20,295 | 16,172 | 18 | | Housing | 129,147 | 120,119 | 102,063 | 57,719 | | Welfare benefits | 121,128 | 110,745 | 88,378 | 145 |

Note: Workload has been calculated by adding legal help matters started and civil representation certificated granted.

Non-family – low volume (LV)

This category differs from other civil and family categories as need is thinly distributed within the population, and demand is greatly influenced by the location and advice provided by low volume providers. They cover actions against the police, clinical negligence, consumer and general contract, education, personal injury, civil liberties (public law) and other meritorious cases. Individually, workload on the low volume categories is so low that it is difficult to see specific trends. Figure 17: Workload in non-family low volume, 2010-11 to 2013-14

| Low Volume | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-----------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Actions against the police etc. | 4,725 | 5,168 | 4,167 | 2,970 | | Clinical negligence | 6,884 | 6,286 | 5,258 | 1,146 | | Consumer | 1,512 | 699 | 457 | 54 | | Discrimination | - | - | 1 | 2,388 | | Education | 4,814 | 3,900 | 3,093 | 1,210 | | Personal injury | 857 | 533 | 325 | 5 | | Public law | 2,979 | 3,318 | 3,150 | 2,664 | | Miscellaneous | 2,919 | 1,294 | 578 | 466 |

Note: workload has been calculated by adding legal help matters started and civil representation certificated granted.

The changes to scope in the LASPO Act and previous changes have meant that the volume of personal injury workload has reduced to just five. Other areas affected by the LASPO Act and showing large falls are clinical negligence and education.

Tribunals

Legal aid in these categories (mental health and immigration & asylum) covers representation at a tribunal.

Mental health

Within mental health the majority of funding is applied in providing assistance to sectioned clients appealing the terms of their detention before a mental health tribunal. There is a statutory duty to provide advice and representation in these cases, and they are funded without reference to a client's means. The number of providers carrying out this work is small compared with other categories. Providers have to travel to discrete NHS and private hospital locations to advise high priority detained clients.

Between 2010-11 and 2013-14 there has been a steady increase in the volume of legally aided mental health tribunals. In 2013-14 there was a one per cent increase compared to the previous year (see figure 18).

Immigration

Under the changes made in the LASPO Act, the majority of immigration cases are no longer in scope for legal aid. This was reflected in the figures which showed a 45 per cent decrease in 2013-14 compared to the previous year. Figure 18: Workload in mental health and immigration, 2010-11 to 2013-14

Note: workload has been calculated by adding legal help matters started and civil representation certificated granted. Appealing decisions

Providers who are unhappy with decisions in relation to their contract can ask for an internal review and/or for the matter to be referred to the Contract Review Body. If they are still unhappy their ultimate remedy is to go to arbitration.

The internal complaints procedure includes a route to compensation for maladministration, basically any error or omission which has led to financial loss. The scheme is unlimited in terms of the amount of compensation that can be claimed, although claims for over £5,000 go to the Customer Redress Committee and then for approval to the MoJ.

Appeals against decisions

The number of appeals against representation decisions on financial and legal grounds has fallen by 11 per cent when compared to the previous year. The proportion of appeals granted has remained fairly steady over the last seven years with a slight fall in the last two years (see figure 19).

Figure 19: Appeals against decision for legal aid (civil representation only) since 2007-08

| Financial year | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |----------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Number financial and legal appeals | 11,264 | 10,074 | 10,267 | 10,540 | 11,246 | 9,843 | 8,792 | | Number granted | 1,388 | 1,366 | 1,418 | 1,245 | 1,318 | 1,014 | 910 | | % Granted | 12% | 14% | 14% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 10% |

Appeals against representation provided

When granting public funding to an individual, their opponents or other third parties may make representations against the grant or continuation of funding. Representations may be made concerning the legal merits of the case, the financial means of the applicant, or both.

Figures had been in decline between 2008-09 and 2011-12 with a fall of 25 per cent in the period (see figure 20). However, the figures in 2012-13 showed an increase of 19 per cent compared to the previous year. There has been a two per cent fall in 2013-14, but numbers are still above the low point of 2011-12.

Figure 20: Appeals against representation provided since 2007-08

| Financial Year | Merits | Means | Merits & means | Total | |----------------|--------|-------|----------------|-------| | 2007-08 | 1,166 | 1,143 | 162 | 2,471 | | 2008-09 | 1,241 | 1,289 | 147 | 2,677 | | 2009-10 | 1,146 | 1,298 | 126 | 2,570 | | 2010-11 | 1,119 | 901 | 114 | 2,134 | | 2011-12 | 1,046 | 855 | 117 | 2,018 | | 2012-13 | 1,149 | 1,162 | 93 | 2,404 | | 2013-14 | 1,385 | 882 | 77 | 2,344 | Exceptional Case Funding: applications and determination

Clause 10 of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) introduced the practice of applying for Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) from the 1 April 2013.

An ECF application for civil legal services is made where a case falls outside the scope of legal aid but the client or conducting solicitor believes there is evidence to support there being a requirement to provide funding because failure to do so would be a breach of, or having regard to any risk that failure to do so would be such a breach of, their Convention rights (within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998), or any rights of the individual to the provision of legal services that are enforceable EU rights.

An ECF determination can only be granted if:

- the above exceptional case criteria are met, and
- the relevant criteria set out in the Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations are met, and
- the relevant criteria set out in the Civil Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Payment for Services) Regulations are met

Part 8 of the Civil Legal Aid (Procedure) Regulations 2012 informs that there are particular exceptions that apply to the procedures of ECF. There is no appeal provision only a right to an internal review, there is no emergency provision, or delegated functions. There is however a provision that allows an ECF determination to take effect from a date earlier than the actual date of the determination.

Figure 21: Process map setting out the assessment of ECF applications received and determinations made by the LAA ECF Team. This covers the period from April 2013 to March 2014.

All applications received in 2013-14 have been determined with an average turnaround time for assessing new and reviewed ECF applications of 7 working days (excluding cases awaiting assessment). The turnaround time for each application starts on the date it is received by the LAA ECF team. The majority of ECF applications (95 per cent, 1,440 applications) were received from a legal aid provider. Only five per cent (80 applications) were received directly from the client.

Unlike other legal aid applications, clients can make ECF applications directly to the Legal Aid Agency. If the ECF application sent directly by the client is likely to be granted their application is given a positive preliminary view, subject to a full ECF Application being submitted in conjunction with a Legal Aid provider.

**Figure 22:** Summary of all ECF applications received in 2013-14, split by category of law and by determination.

| Area of Law | Positive Preliminary View | Granted | Refused | Rejected | Withdrawn | Total | |----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|----------|-----------|-------| | Family | 2 | 9 | 584 | 220 | 6 | 821 | | Immigration | 0 | 4 | 189 | 39 | 3 | 235 | | Inquest | 0 | 53 | 86 | 60 | 1 | 200 | | Other | 0 | 1 | 49 | 32 | 4 | 86 | | Housing/Land Law | 0 | 1 | 52 | 27 | 0 | 80 | | PI/Clinical Negligence| 0 | 0 | 63 | 2 | 0 | 65 | | Inquiry/Tribunal | 0 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 13 | | Welfare Benefits | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | | Debt/Consumer/Contract| 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | | Education | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | | Discrimination | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | | **Total** | **2** | **69** | **1,048**| **387** | **14** | **1,520**|

More than half of all applications (54 per cent) were family applications. A typical family application is in private family law proceedings. These may concern the right of contact with and residence of the applicant’s child or the division of matrimonial assets. These cases generally involve determination of civil rights and obligations. In assessing these applications the overarching question to consider is whether withholding of legal aid would make the assertion of the claim practically impossible or lead to an obvious unfairness in proceedings. Provider information

Legal aid services in England and Wales are delivered through two types of service providers, contracted providers and referral providers.

There has been a steady reduction in the number of contracted legal aid providers since 2007-08. This decline is driven largely by a fall in the number of civil providers.

Criminal legal aid volume is mainly demand led whereas civil legal aid volume is controlled by the LAA awarding a maximum number of new matter starts to each contracted provider.

Since 2007-08 the number of civil providers has fallen by 39 per cent (as at the end of the 2013-14 financial year) and criminal providers under contract have decreased by 16 per cent. In the last year the number of civil providers has reduced by 11 per cent compared to the previous year. Crime providers have decreased by five per cent over the same period.

Figure 23: Providers split by civil and criminal (as at end of each financial year) The total number of contracts held for providing legal aid across all civil categories of law has remained steady over the last three years, with just under 4,700 contracts open as at 31 March 2014, of which around 4,000 were held by solicitor firms and around 700 were held by Not-for-Profit organisations (see figure 24). Clients of Legal Aid

The charts below show the breakdown of client diversity for crime, legal help and civil representation compared with the national breakdown from the latest 2011 census statistics.

The overall criminal legal aid client gender profile differs from the national profile with a much greater proportion of male clients. This follows the same trend seen in the Criminal Justice System, with more male defendants passing through the system than females.(^8)

**Figure 25:** Proportion of clients by gender (closed cases in 2013-14)

______________________________________________________________________

(^8) MOJ, Criminal Justice statistics quarterly: [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/series/criminal-justice-statistics](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/series/criminal-justice-statistics) The overall civil legal aid client diversity profile differs from the national profile with a greater proportion of clients from black and minority ethnic (BAME) origin. This may be affected by the high numbers where ethnicity is unknown.

**Figure 26:** Proportion of clients by broad ethnic group (closed cases in 2012-13)

The overall civil legal aid client diversity profile differs from the national profile with a greater proportion of clients with a disability. This may be affected by the high numbers where the disability status is unknown.

**Figure 27:** Proportion of clients by disability status (closed cases in 2013-14) The overall criminal legal aid client age profile has a much greater proportion of younger clients than the general population of England and Wales. This follows the same trend seen in the Criminal Justice System, with defendants passing through the system concentrated in younger age groups.

**Figure 28:** Proportion of clients by age (closed cases in 2013-14) Timeliness

While not able to influence the duration of a case, the LAA is able to analyse the time taken from the granting of legal aid to the date when the final payment is made. This data is not regularly reviewed during the internal management information process and as such its inclusion in this document is experimental.

The timeliness data highlights the differences between the quicker Legal Help and Crime Lower work and the lengthier matters with multiple court hearings spread over a long time for Civil Representation and Crime Higher.

Each of the charts below shows two kinds of average for the time taken in each area of legal aid. The mean (solid vertical line) shows the total length of time taken divided by the number of cases, and the median (dotted vertical line) shows the middle value, where half of all cases took longer and half took less time. The mean can be skewed upwards where the underlying data has a minority of very lengthy cases, so the median can be more representative of a typical case.

**Figure 29: Timeliness of Civil Representation completed matters, 2013-14**

In 2013-14, the mean time taken for Civil Representation completed matters was just over 19 months, which compares with just under 21 months for matters completed in the previous year. The median fell to 14 months, from 15 months in the previous year. The mean time taken for legal help matters in 2013-14 was just over nine months, which compares with just over seven months in the previous year. However the median was five months, unchanged from the previous year.

In 2013-14, the mean time taken for Crime Higher (Crown Court) matters was between four and five months, which compares with just under five months in the previous year. The median remained unchanged at four months. Both the median (less than one month) and the median (between one and two months) for Crime Lower are low due to the large majority of pre-charge work, and to a lesser extent those matters with fewer court hearings, which occur on the same day at the police station in attendance with the suspect. These figures are virtually unchanged compared with the previous year. Tables

Summary Table 1 Legal aid workload summary since 2001-02

Criminal legal aid Table 2.1 Crime lower workload (count) Table 2.2 Crime lower workload (value) Table 2.3 Crime lower workload (quarterly) Table 3.1 Magistrates’ courts: legal aid applications and grants Table 3.2 Crown Court: legal aid applications and grants Table 4.1 Crime higher workload Table 4.2 Litigator Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS) Table 4.3 Advocate Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS) Table 4.4 Crown Court graduated fee schemes Table 4.5 High Cost Crime cases

Civil legal aid Table 5.1 Legal help matters started (count) Table 5.2 Legal help matters completed – Solicitors and NfP only (count) Table 6.1 Civil representation, applications received Table 6.2 Civil representation, certificates granted Table 6.3 Civil representation, certificates completed Table 6.4 Civil representation costs met by LAA Table 6.5 Civil representation costs met by opponent Table 6.6 Civil representation outcomes Table 7.1 Mediation assessment Table 7.2 Mediations Appeals, providers and acts of assistance

Table 8.1 Appeals – against representation decision Table 8.2 Appeals – against representation provided Table 9 Civil Legal Help – Providers available Table 10 Overall Summary Acts of Assistance and Expenditure since 2007-08

Guidance on tables and supplementary information.

In addition to the supplementary excel tables, and in line with the MoJ commitment to provide information in a reusable format there are accompanying csv files published containing historical data for further manipulation by users. All these workbooks and CSV files can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/legal-aid-statistics

Symbols and conventions

The following symbols have been used throughout the tables in this bulletin:

0 = Nil

- = Not applicable .. = Not available

Data before 2010-11 have not been updated from previous versions of this report. Data for 2011-12 and 2012-13 have been updated and may be different to previous publications as data are taken from a live database. Table 1: Legal aid workload summary since 2001-02

Volume of work in legal aid 2001-02 to 2013-14, with quarterly data for Apr-Jun 2011 to Jan-Mar 2014

| Financial Year | Crime lower | Crime higher | Legal help | Civil representation | |----------------|-------------|--------------|------------|----------------------| | | Representation at Crown Court | Very high cost cases | Court of Appeal and Supreme Court | New matters started | Completed matters | Applications received | Certificates granted | Certificates closed | Civil total | | 2001-02 | 1,685,094 | .. | .. | .. | 764,697 | 748,890 | .. | .. | .. | | 2002-03 | 1,549,626 | .. | .. | .. | 811,848 | 798,033 | .. | .. | .. | | 2003-04 | 1,579,751 | .. | .. | .. | 709,769 | 756,569 | .. | .. | .. | | 2004-05 | 1,505,674 | .. | .. | .. | 654,267 | 715,837 | .. | .. | .. | | 2005-06 | 1,528,383 | .. | .. | .. | 783,455 | 786,522 | .. | .. | .. | | 2006-07 | 1,462,987 | .. | 56 | .. | 851,023 | 876,071 | .. | .. | .. | | 2007-08 | 1,381,424 | .. | 54 | .. | 807,459 | 735,436 | .. | .. | .. | | 2008-09 | 1,521,547 | .. | 63 | .. | 893,812 | 756,446 | .. | .. | .. | | 2009-10 | 1,501,156 | 126,143 | 55 | .. | 942,882 | 904,261 | .. | .. | .. | | 2010-11 | 1,429,294 | 130,459 | 33 | .. | 803,914 | 815,340 | 187,588 | 153,602 | 124,887 | | 2011-12 | 1,331,364 | 132,570 | 28 | 5,778 | 138,376 | 138,376 | 138,376 | 138,376 | 138,376 | | 2012-13 | 1,233,251 | 123,120 | 20 | 5,643 | 128,783 | 128,783 | 128,783 | 128,783 | 128,783 | | 2013-14 | 1,203,473 | 111,927 | 12 | 4,906 | 116,845 | 116,845 | 116,845 | 116,845 | 116,845 | | 2011-12<sup>3</sup> | Apr-Jun 330,825 | 25,621 | 4 | .. | 146,490 | 147,176 | 42,787 | 34,867 | 30,328 | | | Jul-Sep 348,473 | 41,872 | 14 | .. | 153,048 | 144,784 | 45,623 | 37,575 | 35,833 | | | Oct-Dec 324,005 | 27,202 | 9 | .. | 132,861 | 137,916 | 43,403 | 37,527 | 33,046 | | | Jan-Mar 328,061 | 37,875 | 1 | .. | 149,436 | 146,745 | 44,562 | 38,305 | 34,709 | | 2012-13<sup>3</sup> | Apr-Jun 307,466 | 32,480 | 1 | .. | 129,486 | 132,650 | 43,543 | 36,134 | 33,936 | | | Jul-Sep 319,612 | 29,737 | 6 | .. | 128,907 | 128,059 | 45,515 | 37,791 | 31,959 | | | Oct-Dec 299,966 | 31,993 | 5 | .. | 112,448 | 122,314 | 44,248 | 36,444 | 33,734 | | | Jan-Mar 306,207 | 28,910 | 8 | .. | 115,372 | 124,577 | 57,335 | 40,084 | 34,226 | | 2013-14<sup>3</sup> | Apr-Jun 302,487 | 27,822 | 5 | .. | 35,910 | 107,700 | 34,550 | 34,771 | 35,664 | | | Jul-Sep 306,523 | 28,616 | 4 | .. | 37,957 | 79,253 | 26,334 | 25,144 | 34,280 | | | Oct-Dec 295,546 | 28,889 | 3 | .. | 36,565 | 61,996 | 26,430 | 23,541 | 35,665 | | | Jan-Mar 298,917 | 26,600 | 0 | .. | 39,736 | 57,286 | 25,866 | 24,488 | 37,936 |

1 Figures before the higher crime schemes transferred to the Legal Services Commission are not available 2 Based on litigator graduated fee scheme only 3 All figures exclude Housing possession court duty scheme and Telephone operator service, quarterly figures also exclude telephone advice service so figures will not sum to yearly totals 4 Quarterly figures exclude telephone advice service so figures will not sum to yearly totals 5 Data does not include cases completed in the LAA’s new administrative system, including these would raise completed volumes by an estimated 0.6% and total value by less than 0.5%. Table 2.1: Crime lower workload (count)

Case volume for crime lower 2001-2 to 2013-14

| Type | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Pre-charge suspects | 674,837 | 753,901 | 771,688 | 780,966 | 805,078 | 786,441 | 767,360 | 871,093 | 856,617 | 847,900 | 792,808 | 733,829 | 736,343 | | Attendance | 482,373 | 545,901 | 563,811 | 575,814 | 617,362 | 633,131 | 584,107 | 671,266 | 676,536 | 678,532 | 641,797 | 608,407 | 616,187 | | Attendance on immigration issues | - | 2,428 | 4,028 | 3,306 | 2,555 | 807 | 380 | 226 | 96 | 65 | 39 | 34 | 52 | | Duty solicitor standby (claims) | 31,832 | 32,769 | 33,849 | 34,630 | 35,023 | 33,881 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Telephone advice only | 133,993 | 144,059 | 147,153 | 150,415 | 134,615 | 103,800 | 92,022 | 54,414 | 42,908 | 37,181 | 27,925 | 22,455 | 20,711 | | Telephone advice admin costs | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | CDS Direct telephone advice | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Free standing advice and assistance (not in police station) | 24,823 | 26,127 | 20,870 | 14,685 | 13,954 | 12,790 | 12,379 | 9,446 | 7,861 | 7,094 | 5,777 | 4,399 | - | | Warrants of further detention | 1,816 | 1,717 | 1,977 | 2,116 | 1,569 | 1,032 | 564 | 689 | 663 | 521 | 456 | 418 | 367 | | Charged defendants | 288,644 | 120,537 | 116,602 | 49,797 | 34,514 | 31,206 | 24,087 | 18,381 | 18,020 | 17,809 | 15,958 | 15,984 | 12,978 | | Post charge police station advice and assistance | 82,742 | 9,701 | 20,283 | 19,827 | 17,882 | 15,273 | 11,397 | 4,473 | 3,044 | 2,371 | 1,580 | 1,260 | 1,112 | | Refused means test form completion fee | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Early cover | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Preparation: representation order refused | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advice and assistance | 99,192 | 27,154 | 23,982 | 6,241 | 3,789 | 3,178 | 1,637 | 1,167 | 1,138 | 1,308 | 756 | 699 | 615 | | Assistance by way of representation | 779 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Appeals, reviews and other courts | 1,695 | 1,522 | 1,604 | 1,984 | 2,282 | 2,254 | 1,838 | 2,278 | 2,960 | 3,203 | 3,638 | 4,282 | 3,396 | | Civil assistance on criminal matters | - | 908 | 612 | 359 | 265 | 243 | 186 | 183 | 183 | 183 | 183 | 183 | 183 | | Firms claiming for file review payments | - | 1,661 | 1,587 | 1,569 | 1,709 | 1,390 | 1,030 | 915 | 822 | 853 | 5 | 1 | - | | Early first or administrative hearings | 34,911 | 34,520 | 31,277 | 4,929 | 296 | 134 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Free standing advice and assistance | 38,171 | 44,782 | 37,257 | 9,822 | 1,442 | 1,330 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Extended court sitting hours pilot | - | 289 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Representation at Magistrates' court | 716,366 | 664,905 | 677,733 | 659,213 | 668,863 | 618,939 | 557,784 | 589,621 | 578,599 | 517,230 | 480,153 | 442,042 | 418,727 | | Lower standard fees | 470,265 | 449,921 | 467,474 | 459,233 | 462,695 | 410,630 | 366,586 | 403,488 | 397,040 | 348,748 | 321,214 | 291,651 | 273,505 | | Higher standard fees | 89,733 | 91,866 | 87,086 | 82,566 | 87,059 | 87,412 | 76,019 | 71,358 | 71,694 | 61,206 | 57,760 | 54,414 | 52,660 | | Non-standard fees and exempt cases | 38,222 | 32,818 | 33,187 | 30,065 | 31,553 | 34,401 | 31,232 | 25,708 | 23,049 | 20,462 | 18,237 | 18,154 | 17,756 | | Second claims for deferred sentencing | 921 | 1,526 | 1,609 | 1,487 | 1,121 | 694 | 643 | 596 | 469 | 481 | 389 | 371 | 371 | | Court duty solicitor (sessions) | 118,146 | 89,379 | 88,460 | 85,740 | 86,069 | 85,375 | 83,253 | 86,424 | 86,220 | 86,345 | 82,061 | 76,925 | 74,093 | | Prison law | 5,247 | 11,183 | 13,728 | 15,698 | 19,928 | 26,401 | 32,193 | 42,452 | 47,920 | 46,355 | 42,805 | 41,396 | 35,425 | | Free standing advice and assistance | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advocacy assistance at prison discipline hearings | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advocacy assistance at parole board hearings | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

1 No representation required or refused 2 Figures include Court duty solicitor sessions Table 2.2: Crime lower workload (value)

Values for crime lower 2001-2 to 2013-14

| Type | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Pre-charge suspects | 140,226 | 168,762 | 175,505 | 172,213 | 184,824 | 188,014 | 180,628 | 192,459 | 187,259 | 179,503 | 169,475 | 160,144 | 160,683 | | Attendance | 118,586 | 145,274 | 152,495 | 152,461 | 166,138 | 170,795 | 159,025 | 179,019 | 174,632 | 170,018 | 161,235 | 153,145 | 154,921 | | Attendance on immigration issues | - | 540 | 810 | 535 | 351 | 139 | 87 | 64 | 28 | 17 | 10 | 10 | 12 | | Duty solicitor standby (claims) | 10,143 | 10,328 | 10,501 | 10,528 | 10,505 | 10,462 | 8,268 | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Telephone advice only | 8,272 | 9,109 | 8,625 | 6,197 | 5,519 | 4,350 | 3,780 | 2,066 | 1,561 | 1,357 | 1,049 | 847 | 781 | | Telephone advice admin costs | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | CDS Direct telephone advice | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Free standing advice and assistance (not in police station) | 2,491 | 2,755 | 2,172 | 1,514 | 1,526 | 1,543 | 1,585 | 1,434 | 1,334 | 1,232 | 1,197 | 1,012 | 803 | | Warrants of further detention | 734 | 756 | 902 | 978 | 786 | 725 | 333 | 164 | 146 | 92 | 84 | 85 | 71 | | Charged defendants | 36,480 | 17,383 | 16,731 | 10,351 | 9,809 | 8,835 | 6,906 | 6,784 | 8,013 | 7,453 | 5,777 | 6,983 | 5,344 | | Post charge police station advice and assistance | 14,166 | 893 | 1,798 | 1,317 | 1,139 | 1,016 | 712 | 382 | 281 | 159 | 133 | 125 | - | | Refused means test form completion fee | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7 | 91 | 84 | 63 | 71 | 47 | 40 | | Early cover | - | - | - | - | - | - | 106 | 204 | 272 | 276 | 274 | 250 | 251 | | Preparation: representation order refused | - | - | - | 289 | 405 | 349 | 203 | 233 | 247 | 230 | 225 | 209 | 175 | | Advice and assistance | 8,865 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advocacy assistance | 4,881 | 4,132 | 3,716 | 1,906 | 1,895 | 1,835 | 952 | 600 | 471 | 508 | 279 | 208 | 202 | | Assistance by way of representation | 983 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Appeals, reviews and other courts | 323 | 683 | 923 | 1,673 | 2,244 | 1,804 | 1,798 | 2,432 | 3,994 | 3,795 | 4,363 | 5,559 | 4,180 | | Civil assistance on criminal matters | - | 129 | 88 | 68 | 71 | 77 | 162 | 204 | 204 | 278 | 434 | 556 | 424 | | Firms claiming for file review payments | - | 3,293 | 3,422 | 3,458 | 3,728 | 3,437 | 2,784 | 2,578 | 2,477 | 2,074 | 21 | 19 | - | | Early first or administrative hearings | 3,997 | 3,899 | 3,449 | 575 | 46 | 22 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Free standing advice and assistance | 3,265 | 4,301 | 3,335 | 1,065 | 282 | 181 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Extended court sitting hours pilot | - | 53 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Representation at Magistrates' court | 323,007 | 316,917 | 318,514 | 307,908 | 315,435 | 308,116 | 269,566 | 265,592 | 254,335 | 225,276 | 210,945 | 198,436 | 190,138 | | Lower standard fees | 152,283 | 154,849 | 160,781 | 157,938 | 157,924 | 141,423 | 123,595 | 132,249 | 127,766 | 110,429 | 103,108 | 95,141 | 89,792 | | Higher standard fees | 73,166 | 79,741 | 76,369 | 74,227 | 78,527 | 79,487 | 66,586 | 61,526 | 62,140 | 53,801 | 51,343 | 47,569 | 46,171 | | Non-standard fees and exempt cases | 73,695 | 61,774 | 60,740 | 56,052 | 58,784 | 66,596 | 58,197 | 48,809 | 42,055 | 37,832 | 33,247 | 33,484 | 32,073 | | Second claims for deferred sentencing | - | 243 | 393 | 418 | 418 | 311 | 199 | 188 | 169 | 135 | 290 | 316 | 241 | | Court duty solicitor (sessions) | 23,861 | 20,310 | 20,231 | 19,273 | 19,782 | 20,299 | 20,987 | 22,820 | 22,205 | 23,080 | 22,958 | 21,925 | 21,861 | | Prison law | 1,088 | 3,557 | 4,947 | 6,731 | 8,742 | 12,489 | 15,992 | 21,606 | 24,891 | 25,452 | 22,709 | 21,336 | 19,945 | | Free standing advice and assistance | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advocacy assistance at prison discipline hearings | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advocacy assistance at parole board hearings | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

1 No representation required or refused 2 Figures include Court duty solicitor sessions Table 2.3: Crime lower workload (quarterly)

Case volume and total value for crime lower, quarterly for Jan-Mar 2013 to Jan-Mar 2014

| Type | Count | Value (£'000) | |-------------------------------------------|-------|---------------| | | Jan-Mar 2013 | Apr-Jun 2013 | Jul-Sep 2013 | Oct-Dec 2013 | Jan-Mar 2014 | Jan-Mar 2013 | Apr-Jun 2013 | Jul-Sep 2013 | Oct-Dec 2013 | Jan-Mar 2014 | | Pre-charge suspects | 181,785 | 183,564 | 187,768 | 181,572 | 183,439 | 39,901 | 40,118 | 41,029 | 39,394 | 40,142 | | Attendance | 152,315 | 153,235 | 156,942 | 151,463 | 154,347 | 38,406 | 38,610 | 39,481 | 38,136 | 38,694 | | Attendance on immigration issues | 9 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | | Duty solicitor standby (claims) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Telephone advice only | 5,272 | 5,293 | 5,324 | 4,952 | 5,142 | 196 | 200 | 203 | 185 | 192 | | Telephone advice admin costs | - | - | - | - | - | 665 | 709 | 733 | 490 | 672 | | CDS Direct telephone advice | 22,662 | 23,785 | 24,250 | 24,020 | 22,572 | 356 | 378 | 377 | 372 | 363 | | Free standing advice and assistance (not in police station) | 1,433 | 1,150 | 1,133 | 1,048 | 1,068 | 259 | 199 | 212 | 193 | 199 | | Warrants of further detention | 94 | 93 | 106 | 73 | 95 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 14 | 18 | | Charged defendants¹ | 3,943 | 3,558 | 3,433 | 2,976 | 3,011 | 1,719 | 1,478 | 1,390 | 1,185 | 1,291 | | Post charge police station advice and assistance | 315 | 320 | 319 | 245 | 228 | 39 | 35 | 37 | 28 | 24 | | Refused means test form completion fee | 354 | 340 | 314 | 364 | 333 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | | Early cover | 658 | 594 | 545 | 511 | 544 | 59 | 53 | 49 | 46 | 49 | | Preparation: representation order refused | 912 | 751 | 838 | 708 | 773 | 52 | 43 | 48 | 40 | 44 | | Advice and assistance | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Advocacy assistance | 177 | 194 | 178 | 120 | 123 | 47 | 68 | 56 | 36 | 42 | | Assistance by way of representation | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Appeals, reviews and other courts | 1,059 | 1,009 | 884 | 746 | 757 | 1,354 | 1,150 | 1,067 | 928 | 1,035 | | Civil assistance on criminal matters | 468 | 350 | 355 | 282 | 253 | 158 | 118 | 125 | 95 | 86 | | Firms claiming for file review payments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Early first or administrative hearings | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Free standing advice and assistance | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Extended court sitting hours pilot | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Representation at Magistrates' court² | 110,248 | 105,509 | 106,189 | 102,328 | 104,701 | 49,831 | 47,663 | 47,503 | 47,608 | 47,363 | | Lower standard fees | 72,797 | 68,909 | 69,790 | 65,966 | 68,840 | 23,784 | 22,576 | 22,820 | 21,738 | 22,648 | | Higher standard fees | 13,067 | 13,196 | 13,141 | 12,945 | 13,378 | 11,931 | 11,541 | 11,545 | 11,361 | 11,724 | | Non-standard fees and exempt cases | 4,458 | 4,455 | 4,237 | 4,933 | 4,131 | 8,515 | 7,967 | 7,544 | 9,028 | 7,544 | | Second claims for deferred sentencing | 233 | 193 | 175 | 170 | 175 | 82 | 66 | 62 | 58 | 56 | | Court duty solicitor (sessions) | 19,093 | 18,756 | 18,846 | 18,314 | 18,177 | 5,519 | 5,513 | 5,533 | 5,424 | 5,391 | | Prison law | 1,027 | 1,164 | 1,033 | 1,079 | 1,203 | 1,904 | 2,181 | 5,027 | 4,899 | 4,665 | | Free standing advice and assistance | 8,116 | 7,608 | 7,063 | 6,560 | 5,521 | 2,942 | 2,742 | 2,599 | 2,411 | 2,061 | | Advocacy assistance at prison discipline hearings | 1,088 | 1,084 | 1,037 | 1,031 | 1,042 | 472 | 432 | 424 | 434 | 412 | | Advocacy assistance at parole board hearings | 1,027 | 1,164 | 1,033 | 1,079 | 1,203 | 1,904 | 2,181 | 2,004 | 2,054 | 2,192 |

¹ No representation required or refused ² Figures include Court duty solicitor sessions Table 3.1: Magistrates’ court: legal aid applications and grants

Number of applications and number granted for legal aid funding for cases heard at the magistrates’ courts

| Financial Year | Quarter | Summary only offences | Either way offences | Committal for sentence | Unknown | Total | |----------------|---------------|-----------------------|---------------------|------------------------|---------|-------| | | | Volume of applications | Volume granted | Volume of applications | Volume granted | Volume of applications | Volume granted | Volume of applications | Volume granted | | 2010-2011 | Apr-Jun | 29,410 | 27,030 | 27,979 | 26,607 | 861 | 819 | 70,331 | 65,278 | 128,581 | 119,734 | | | Jul-Sep | 60,519 | 55,306 | 57,179 | 53,903 | 2,399 | 2,282 | 813 | 709 | 120,910 | 112,200 | | | Oct-Dec | 54,702 | 49,897 | 53,393 | 50,262 | 2,744 | 2,614 | 70 | 58 | 110,909 | 102,831 | | | Jan-Mar | 57,602 | 52,733 | 53,378 | 50,260 | 3,253 | 3,069 | 33 | 30 | 114,266 | 106,092 | | 2011-2012 | Apr-Jun | 55,781 | 50,995 | 52,845 | 50,026 | 3,263 | 3,084 | 11 | 8 | 111,900 | 104,113 | | | Jul-Sep | 59,682 | 54,842 | 56,233 | 53,472 | 3,842 | 3,625 | 5 | 5 | 119,762 | 111,944 | | | Oct-Dec | 52,031 | 47,612 | 52,130 | 49,603 | 3,502 | 3,329 | 2 | 2 | 107,665 | 100,546 | | | Jan-Mar | 54,955 | 50,325 | 53,236 | 50,641 | 3,550 | 3,347 | 3 | 3 | 111,744 | 104,316 | | 2012-2013 | Apr-Jun | 50,047 | 45,608 | 48,997 | 46,410 | 3,243 | 3,027 | 16 | 16 | 102,303 | 95,061 | | | Jul-Sep | 52,566 | 48,244 | 51,567 | 49,005 | 3,355 | 3,166 | 1 | 1 | 107,489 | 100,416 | | | Oct-Dec | 47,892 | 43,986 | 47,724 | 45,434 | 3,112 | 2,914 | 2 | 2 | 98,728 | 92,334 | | | Jan-Mar | 49,185 | 45,248 | 48,619 | 46,418 | 2,952 | 2,793 | 2 | 2 | 100,758 | 94,461 | | 2013-2014 | Apr-Jun | 46,135 | 42,404 | 49,846 | 47,804 | 2,802 | 2,651 | 29 | 28 | 98,812 | 92,887 | | | Jul-Sep | 47,827 | 44,102 | 50,790 | 48,702 | 2,573 | 2,444 | 1 | 1 | 101,190 | 95,248 | | | Oct-Dec | 43,508 | 40,227 | 49,701 | 47,782 | 2,397 | 2,286 | 1 | 1 | 95,607 | 90,296 | | | Jan-Mar | 45,623 | 42,200 | 50,917 | 49,007 | 1,962 | 1,863 | 2 | 2 | 98,504 | 93,072 |

1 In some applications the case type is not known and during system introduction this information was not recorded. Table 3.2: Crown Court: legal aid applications and grants

*Application grant rate of legal aid funding for cases heard at the Crown Court*

| Financial Year | Quarter | Either way offences | Indictable offences | Committal for sentence | Appeals¹ | Total | |----------------|-----------|---------------------|---------------------|------------------------|----------|-------| | | Volume of applications | Volume granted | Volume of applications | Volume granted | Volume of applications | Volume granted | Volume of applications | Volume granted | | 2010-11 | 57,366 | 57,366 | 28,761 | 11,664 | 4,125 | 101,916 | 101,229 | | | 66,222 | 66,222 | 35,875 | 19,387 | 5,442 | 126,926 | 126,016 | | 2011-12 | 54,757 | 54,756 | 34,079 | 18,565 | 5,206 | 112,607 | 111,691 | | | 66,993 | 66,993 | 33,818 | 16,880 | 4,403 | 122,094 | 121,299 | | 2012-13 | 2010-11 | Apr-Jun | 6,683 | 3,950 | 1,165 | 12,349 | 12,275 | | | | Jul-Sep | 16,402 | 9,910 | 3,243 | 30,840 | 30,639 | | | | Oct-Dec | 16,487 | 9,070 | 3,666 | 30,517 | 30,323 | | | | Jan-Mar | 17,794 | 5,831 | 3,590 | 28,210 | 27,992 | | 2011-12 | Apr-Jun | 16,825 | 7,846 | 4,144 | 1,224 | 30,039 | 29,823 | | | Jul-Sep | 18,552 | 9,839 | 5,306 | 1,350 | 35,047 | 34,827 | | | Oct-Dec | 15,364 | 9,033 | 4,945 | 1,468 | 30,801 | 30,565 | | | Jan-Mar | 15,481 | 9,157 | 4,992 | 1,400 | 31,030 | 30,801 | | 2012-13 | Apr-Jun | 13,636 | 8,485 | 4,694 | 1,329 | 28,144 | 27,899 | | | Jul-Sep | 13,968 | 8,563 | 4,945 | 1,325 | 28,801 | 28,569 | | | Oct-Dec | 13,440 | 8,655 | 4,500 | 1,355 | 27,950 | 27,720 | | | Jan-Mar | 13,713 | 8,376 | 4,426 | 1,197 | 27,712 | 27,503 | | 2013-14 | Apr-Jun | 14,768 | 8,935 | 4,546 | 1,058 | 29,307 | 29,106 | | | Jul-Sep | 17,245 | 8,511 | 4,422 | 1,093 | 31,271 | 31,073 | | | Oct-Dec | 17,603 | 8,158 | 4,198 | 1,153 | 31,112 | 30,916 | | | Jan-Mar | 17,377 | 8,214 | 3,714 | 1,099 | 30,404 | 30,204 |

¹ Appeal cases do not require income contribution but will be required to pay a fixed contribution at the end of their appeal if it is unsuccessful. Table 4.1: Crime higher workload

Case volume, total value and average cost of legal aid funding for the crime higher legal aid scheme

| Crime Higher schemes | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |--------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------| | | Value (£'000) | Volume of case | Average case cost | Value (£'000) | Volume of case | Average case cost | Value (£'000) | Volume of case | Average case cost | | Litigator Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS)¹ | 335,451 | 132,570 | 2,530 | 312,105 | 123,120 | 2,535 | 283,365 | 111,927 | 2,532 | | Advocate Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS)¹ | 221,170 | 114,081 | 1,939 | 240,260 | 120,109 | 2,000 | 220,785 | 118,408 | 1,865 | | Complex Crime Unit²,³ | 91,739 | .. | .. | 67,665 | .. | .. | 56,776 | .. | .. | | Proceeds of crime and escapes from GFS | 23,096 | 7,918 | 2,917 | 16,322 | 7,833 | 2,084 | 15,312 | 7,540 | 2,031 | | Higher Courts | | | | | | | | | | | Court of Appeal | 8,738 | 5,778 | 1,512 | 8,491 | 5,643 | 1,505 | 7,287 | 4,907 | 1,485 | | Supreme Court | .. | .. | .. | 4,533 | 4,922 | 921 | 3,601 | 4,245 | 848 | | Senior Court costs office | .. | .. | .. | 662 | 21 | 31,531 | 314 | 13 | 24,172 | | Total | 680,194 | 260,347 | 2,613 | 644,842 | 256,705 | 2,512 | 583,526 | 242,782 | 2,403 |

¹ The figures for graduated fee schemes are based on total value of cases that were completed in the relevant year, whereas previous published figures were shown on the basis of when payments were made. This change has been made to bring the reporting of payments into line with the adjacent figures on volume of cases. Some payments relating to the first part of 2011-12 were processed in a previous, separate payment system from which it is not currently possible to determine the precise timing of case completion, and these payments have therefore been excluded, which reduces the total for the year. For a quarterly breakdown of these figures please see tables 4.2 and 4.3

² The Complex Crime Unit manages all Very High Cost Cases under a criminal legal aid contract

³ No average cost of claims is reported as each contract has multiple staged payments Table 4.2: Litigator Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS)

Litigator Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS), volume and value

| Financial Year | Quarter | Volume | Value (£'000) | |----------------|---------|--------|---------------| | | | Trial | Cracked Trial | Guilty Plea | Sentence | Appeal | Other | Total | | 2009-10 | Apr-Jun | 4,059 | 6,748 | 9,131 | 3,493 | 639 | 1,551 | 25,621| | | Jul-Sep | 6,179 | 10,604 | 15,000 | 6,296 | 1,842 | 1,951 | 41,872| | | Oct-Dec | 4,534 | 6,925 | 9,692 | 4,221 | 1,018 | 812 | 27,202| | | Jan-Mar | 6,195 | 9,399 | 13,217 | 4,869 | 1,259 | 2,936 | 37,875| | 2010-11 | Apr-Jun | 5,602 | 8,308 | 11,385 | 4,611 | 1,042 | 1,532 | 32,480| | | Jul-Sep | 5,048 | 6,698 | 10,195 | 4,886 | 1,231 | 1,679 | 29,737| | | Oct-Dec | 5,706 | 7,174 | 11,158 | 4,989 | 1,236 | 1,730 | 31,993| | | Jan-Mar | 5,066 | 6,374 | 9,907 | 4,829 | 1,101 | 1,633 | 28,910| | 2011-12 | Apr-Jun | 4,982 | 6,275 | 10,395 | 3,988 | 935 | 1,247 | 27,822| | | Jul-Sep | 5,134 | 6,068 | 10,777 | 4,412 | 998 | 1,227 | 28,616| | | Oct-Dec | 4,903 | 5,894 | 11,535 | 4,288 | 1,043 | 1,226 | 28,889| | | Jan-Mar | 4,492 | 5,367 | 11,147 | 3,803 | 818 | 973 | 26,600|

1 The figures for other include Mags Committal fee, Breaches of Crown Court Orders, Elected cases not proceeded, Hearings Subsequent to Sentence and Contempt hearings 2 The figures for LGFS for 2009-10 are only partial as payments only cover Crown Court cases started after January 2008 Table 4.3: Advocate Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS)

Advocate Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS), volume and value

| Financial Year | Quarter | Volume | Value (£'000) | |----------------|---------------|--------|---------------| | | | Trial | Cracked Trial | Guilty Plea | Committal for Sentence | Appeal | Other | Total AGFS | Cracked Trial | Guilty Plea | Committal for Sentence | Appeal | Other | Total AGFS | | 2011-12 | Apr-Jun | 1,844 | 3,210 | 4,767 | 1,285 | 388 | 2,008 | 13,502 | 9,550 | 7,420 | 4,722 | 310 | 81 | 431 | | | Jul-Sep | 4,312 | 6,932 | 10,178 | 3,873 | 1,043 | 1,746 | 28,084 | 23,664 | 16,280 | 10,184 | 856 | 200 | 428 | | | Oct-Dec | 5,995 | 8,336 | 11,897 | 4,253 | 1,064 | 2,850 | 34,395 | 34,488 | 11,600 | 949 | 219 | 678 | 69,017 | | | Jan-Mar | 6,961 | 9,640 | 12,627 | 4,870 | 1,137 | 2,865 | 38,100 | 39,931 | 12,075 | 1,067 | 226 | 727 | 78,026 | | 2012-13 | Apr-Jun | 5,786 | 7,566 | 10,418 | 4,102 | 882 | 2,279 | 31,033 | 36,459 | 17,144 | 9,341 | 909 | 177 | 621 | | | Jul-Sep | 5,583 | 6,669 | 10,305 | 4,202 | 994 | 2,324 | 30,077 | 38,578 | 15,138 | 8,734 | 901 | 199 | 484 | | | Oct-Dec | 5,814 | 6,593 | 10,450 | 3,975 | 855 | 2,225 | 29,912 | 33,955 | 13,618 | 8,596 | 831 | 163 | 481 | | | Jan-Mar | 5,298 | 6,140 | 9,866 | 4,314 | 1,049 | 2,420 | 29,087 | 31,507 | 12,759 | 7,976 | 914 | 211 | 562 | | 2013-14 | Apr-Jun | 5,684 | 6,245 | 10,738 | 3,609 | 822 | 1,973 | 29,071 | 32,765 | 11,769 | 8,877 | 745 | 163 | 433 | | | Jul-Sep | 5,739 | 5,783 | 10,731 | 4,233 | 875 | 2,231 | 29,592 | 40,866 | 10,563 | 8,718 | 897 | 173 | 556 | | | Oct-Dec | 5,377 | 5,590 | 11,504 | 4,066 | 920 | 2,298 | 29,755 | 30,498 | 9,938 | 9,057 | 867 | 182 | 541 | | | Jan-Mar | 5,393 | 5,673 | 11,969 | 3,904 | 837 | 2,214 | 29,990 | 32,440 | 9,910 | 9,339 | 809 | 161 | 519 |

1 The figures for other include Mags Committal fee, Breaches of Crown Court Orders, Elected cases not proceeded, Hearings Subsequent to Sentence and Contempt hearings 2 The figures for AGFS for 2011-12 are only partial due to the phased rollout of payments made by LAA Table 4.4: Crown Court graduated fee schemes

*Crown Court expenditure (£'000) on graduated fee schemes by offence type*

| Offence Classification¹ | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-------------------------|---------|---------| | | Trial | Guilty | Committal for Sentence | Appeal | Other² | Total | Cracked | Guilty | Committal for Sentence | Appeal | Other² | Total | | A Homicide and related grave offences | 67,943 | 5,521 | 1,209 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 74,726 | 54,971 | 4,107 | 1,493 | 21 | 9 | 21 | 60,622 | | B Offences involving serious violence or damage and serious drug offences | 110,425 | 57,989 | 33,250 | 774 | 22 | 263 | 202,722 | 108,831 | 44,714 | 34,073 | 340 | 13 | 289 | 188,260 | | C Lesser offences involving violence or damage, and less serious drug offences | 20,685 | 16,027 | 12,109 | 981 | 291 | 177 | 50,270 | 18,582 | 10,901 | 10,715 | 379 | 109 | 181 | 40,867 | | D Serious sexual offences and offences against children | 8,716 | 3,252 | 1,842 | 115 | 27 | 10 | 13,963 | 7,727 | 1,995 | 1,373 | 55 | 6 | 20 | 11,176 | | E Burglary, etc | 4,501 | 4,769 | 6,175 | 847 | 41 | 87 | 16,420 | 3,383 | 3,374 | 5,848 | 384 | 17 | 100 | 13,106 | | F Other offences of dishonesty | 6,051 | 5,939 | 5,589 | 957 | 144 | 69 | 18,749 | 6,071 | 3,891 | 5,244 | 440 | 80 | 124 | 15,850 | | G Other offences of dishonesty | 3,198 | 3,320 | 1,605 | 96 | 15 | 8 | 8,242 | 1,399 | 1,184 | 1,194 | 109 | 18 | 12 | 3,916 | | H Miscellaneous other offences | 6,436 | 6,413 | 6,245 | 6,284 | 1,797 | 1,947 | 29,122 | 6,842 | 4,928 | 6,778 | 7,209 | 1,745 | 1,726 | 29,227 | | I Offences against public justice and similar offences | 6,653 | 1,839 | 1,249 | 49 | 18 | 37 | 9,844 | 6,287 | 1,509 | 1,300 | 25 | 10 | 37 | 9,168 | | J Serious Sexual Offences | 38,077 | 10,470 | 5,874 | 81 | 7 | 85 | 54,595 | 46,829 | 9,099 | 6,405 | 38 | 3 | 65 | 62,439 | | K Other offences of dishonesty (high value) | 43,647 | 24,603 | 5,242 | 10 | 2 | 89 | 73,592 | 47,989 | 16,822 | 4,678 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 69,497 | | Total | 316,331 | 140,143 | 80,390 | 10,222 | 2,376 | 2,785 | 552,246 | 308,910 | 102,524 | 79,103 | 9,007 | 2,010 | 2,575 | 504,129 |

¹ Excludes cases where offence is unknown on the administrative system

² The figures for other include Mags Committal fee, Breaches of Crown Court Orders, Elected cases not proceeded, Hearings Subsequent to Sentence and Contempt hearings Table 4.5: High Cost Crime cases

*High Cost Cases- cases opened, contracts opened, contracts, and expenditure*

| Financial Year | Quarter | High Cost Crime Cases Opened | High Cost Crime Contracts Opened | High Cost Crime Contracts Closed | High Cost Crime Expenditure (£000s) | |----------------|-----------|------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------| | 2006-07 | | 56 | 417 | 426 | 104.57 | | 2007-08 | | 54 | 391 | 399 | 124.61 | | 2008-09 | | 63 | 437 | 433 | 112.09 | | 2009-10 | | 55 | 426 | 313 | 95.31 | | 2010-11 | | 33 | 264 | 460 | 93.09 | | 2011-12 | | 28 | 227 | 294 | 91.74 | | 2012-13 | | 20 | 112 | 222 | 67.66 | | 2013-14 | | 12 | 72 | 216 | 56.78 | | 2011-12 | Apr-Jun | 4 | 55 | 75 | 20.24 | | | Jul-Sep | 14 | 65 | 62 | 20.68 | | | Oct-Dec | 9 | 79 | 103 | 27.90 | | | Jan-Mar | 1 | 28 | 54 | 22.92 | | 2012-13 | Apr-Jun | 1 | 22 | 81 | 19.79 | | | Jul-Sep | 6 | 32 | 61 | 16.10 | | | Oct-Dec | 5 | 27 | 41 | 16.19 | | | Jan-Mar | 8 | 31 | 39 | 15.59 | | 2013-14 | Apr-Jun | 5 | 17 | 57 | 17.82 | | | Jul-Sep | 4 | 24 | 37 | 15.14 | | | Oct-Dec | 3 | 24 | 69 | 13.20 | | | Jan-Mar | 0 | 7 | 53 | 10.62 | Table 5.1: Legal help matters started (count)

Legal help matters started for 2000-01 to 2013-14

| Type | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Total (excluding Housing possession court duty scheme and Telephone operator service) | 803,828 | 764,697 | 811,848 | 709,769 | 654,267 | 783,455 | 851,023 | 807,769 | 893,812 | 942,882 | 803,914 | 705,295 | 592,368 | 172,501 | | Family | 318,496 | 317,903 | 338,888 | 299,188 | 272,903 | 283,830 | 280,466 | 263,009 | 287,004 | 309,054 | 270,048 | 234,481 | 205,617 | 42,798 | | Social Welfare | 249,501 | 226,938 | 237,262 | 223,682 | 226,891 | 339,212 | 406,531 | 392,800 | 446,009 | 471,418 | 398,223 | 355,138 | 281,737 | 52,703 | | Community care | 2,070 | 2,136 | 2,764 | 3,092 | 3,426 | 4,230 | 4,559 | 4,853 | 7,527 | 8,792 | 6,240 | 6,694 | 5,412 | 3,267 | | Debt | 52,193 | 48,751 | 53,842 | 54,851 | 58,253 | 102,542 | 121,287 | 111,463 | 132,936 | 146,731 | 128,459 | 109,280 | 81,792 | 2,423 | | Employment | 12,362 | 10,916 | 11,827 | 10,275 | 9,487 | 23,071 | 22,222 | 22,638 | 28,218 | 31,722 | 25,384 | 20,233 | 16,119 | 6 | | Housing | 90,456 | 84,502 | 87,931 | 80,260 | 83,193 | 110,404 | 133,311 | 127,257 | 139,771 | 140,500 | 117,035 | 108,208 | 90,052 | 46,870 | | Welfare benefits | 92,420 | 80,633 | 80,898 | 75,204 | 72,532 | 98,965 | 125,152 | 126,589 | 137,557 | 143,673 | 121,105 | 110,723 | 88,362 | 137 | | Low Volume | 73,284 | 59,687 | 51,289 | 37,563 | 29,327 | 34,785 | 38,666 | 31,337 | 29,442 | 25,762 | 18,230 | 15,033 | 11,094 | 7,176 | | Actions against the police etc. | 5,574 | 5,348 | 5,432 | 4,409 | 4,551 | 4,651 | 4,675 | 4,323 | 4,709 | 4,908 | 3,677 | 4,007 | 2,948 | 2,226 | | Clinical negligence | 4,550 | 4,800 | 4,554 | 4,041 | 3,649 | 3,558 | 3,724 | 3,832 | 3,597 | 4,052 | 3,979 | 3,648 | 2,859 | 114 | | Consumer | 12,194 | 9,239 | 7,321 | 4,985 | 3,891 | 3,848 | 3,827 | 3,360 | 3,084 | 2,776 | 1,227 | 550 | 335 | 0 | | Discrimination | 2,384 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Education | 3,131 | 3,371 | 3,498 | 2,886 | 2,646 | 7,279 | 11,930 | 9,067 | 7,102 | 5,329 | 4,675 | 3,775 | 2,956 | 1,167 | | Personal injury | 10,587 | 7,265 | 5,784 | 4,794 | 3,137 | 2,854 | 2,790 | 1,807 | 1,616 | 1,724 | 829 | 527 | 317 | 3 | | Public law | 1,477 | 1,412 | 1,803 | 1,601 | 1,632 | 1,800 | 1,758 | 1,935 | 2,463 | 2,221 | 1,495 | 1,626 | 1,353 | 1,097 | | Miscellaneous | 35,771 | 28,252 | 22,897 | 14,847 | 9,821 | 10,885 | 9,962 | 7,013 | 6,871 | 4,752 | 2,348 | 900 | 326 | 185 | | Tribunals | 162,547 | 160,169 | 184,409 | 149,336 | 125,146 | 125,628 | 125,360 | 120,313 | 131,357 | 136,648 | 117,413 | 100,643 | 93,920 | 69,824 | | Immigration | 138,841 | 134,238 | 155,865 | 120,440 | 94,236 | 91,317 | 91,037 | 84,899 | 94,983 | 98,539 | 82,790 | 61,129 | 52,710 | 28,038 | | Mental health | 23,706 | 25,931 | 28,544 | 28,896 | 30,910 | 34,311 | 34,323 | 35,414 | 36,374 | 38,109 | 34,623 | 39,514 | 41,210 | 41,786 | | Housing possession court duty scheme | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | Telephone operator service | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Table 5.2: Legal help matters completed (count)

Legal help matters completed 2000-01 to 2013-14

| Type | 2000-01 | 2001-02 | 2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-----------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Total (excluding Housing possession court duty scheme and Telephone operator service) | 761,583 | 748,890 | 798,033 | 756,569 | 715,837 | 786,522 | 735,436 | 756,446 | 904,261 | 815,340 | 674,848 | 602,241 | 328,319 | | Family | 297,125 | 292,852 | 312,845 | 304,730 | 286,215 | 281,540 | 274,681 | 243,177 | 255,120 | 267,088 | 255,650 | 227,933 | 200,598 | 122,247 | | Social Welfare | 242,357 | 234,217 | 242,420 | 230,155 | 222,190 | 314,839 | 390,124 | 364,576 | 341,194 | 447,509 | 380,345 | 316,163 | 284,446 | 102,119 | | Community care | 1,660 | 2,114 | 2,534 | 3,088 | 3,241 | 3,724 | 4,152 | 3,860 | 6,045 | 7,266 | 5,674 | 4,731 | 4,512 | 3,635 | | Debt | 50,145 | 50,140 | 56,109 | 55,269 | 54,891 | 91,176 | 120,148 | 108,340 | 107,129 | 140,900 | 126,502 | 101,085 | 84,726 | 17,909 | | Employment | 12,706 | 11,112 | 12,264 | 11,015 | 9,835 | 20,966 | 19,471 | 20,781 | 13,429 | 31,003 | 24,989 | 17,766 | 15,892 | 2,601 | | Housing | 86,727 | 87,911 | 88,461 | 82,730 | 81,635 | 104,605 | 128,324 | 114,689 | 100,737 | 131,708 | 108,712 | 96,021 | 87,877 | 49,481 | | Welfare benefits | 91,119 | 82,940 | 83,052 | 78,053 | 72,588 | 94,368 | 118,029 | 116,906 | 113,854 | 136,632 | 114,468 | 96,560 | 91,439 | 28,493 | | Low Volume | 89,615 | 66,956 | 58,115 | 43,317 | 31,558 | 35,000 | 40,557 | 28,039 | 22,018 | 23,090 | 19,159 | 13,834 | 11,370 | 9,057 | | Actions against the police etc. | 6,221 | 5,451 | 5,178 | 4,988 | 4,381 | 4,205 | 4,101 | 3,849 | 5,138 | 4,276 | 3,930 | 3,134 | 2,533 | 2,310 | | Clinical negligence | 4,874 | 4,748 | 4,553 | 4,177 | 3,687 | 3,389 | 3,165 | 2,947 | 4,182 | 3,297 | 3,731 | 3,327 | 3,154 | 1,186 | | Consumer | 14,491 | 10,619 | 8,817 | 6,413 | 4,110 | 4,494 | 3,923 | 3,160 | 3,196 | 3,048 | 1,689 | 701 | 469 | 191 | | Discrimination | 3,184 | 3,601 | 3,625 | 3,219 | 2,870 | 7,221 | 13,832 | 8,877 | 2,001 | 4,860 | 4,665 | 3,896 | 3,191 | 1,090 | | Education | 23,152 | 10,633 | 7,983 | 5,781 | 4,125 | 3,615 | 2,924 | 2,216 | 1,773 | 1,761 | 1,331 | 727 | 458 | 293 | | Personal injury | 1,290 | 1,432 | 1,565 | 1,609 | 1,472 | 1,582 | 1,562 | 1,462 | 2,145 | 1,666 | 1,422 | 1,321 | 1,181 | 1,026 | | Public law | 36,403 | 30,472 | 26,394 | 17,130 | 10,913 | 10,494 | 11,050 | 5,528 | 3,583 | 4,182 | 2,391 | 728 | 384 | 174 | | Tribunals | 132,486 | 154,865 | 184,653 | 178,367 | 175,874 | 155,143 | 170,709 | 99,644 | 138,114 | 166,574 | 160,186 | 116,918 | 105,827 | 94,896 | | Immigration | 108,600 | 128,456 | 156,184 | 147,614 | 142,674 | 121,032 | 135,472 | 65,970 | 102,792 | 128,771 | 120,616 | 77,230 | 62,833 | 49,211 | | Mental health | 23,886 | 26,409 | 28,469 | 30,753 | 33,200 | 34,111 | 35,237 | 33,674 | 35,322 | 37,803 | 39,570 | 39,688 | 42,994 | 45,685 | Table 5.3: Legal help matters completed - Solicitors and NfP only (count)

Case volume, total value and average cost of legal aid funding for the Legal Help legal aid scheme

| Type | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-----------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | **Count** | | | | | | | Total | 782,606 | 689,956 | 576,621 | 507,600 | 306,235 | | (excluding Housing possession court duty scheme, telephone advice service and Telephone operator service) | | | | | | | Family | 255,873 | 229,736 | 206,488 | 180,893 | 116,127 | | Social Welfare | 340,154 | 284,124 | 242,114 | 211,775 | 89,474 | | Community care | 7,266 | 5,674 | 4,731 | 4,512 | 3,635 | | Debt | 106,593 | 90,973 | 75,023 | 62,572 | 16,008 | | Employment | 14,788 | 11,299 | 8,922 | 6,505 | 2,600 | | Housing | 102,450 | 85,248 | 75,926 | 66,210 | 38,851 | | Welfare benefits | 109,057 | 90,930 | 77,512 | 71,976 | 28,380 | | Low Volume | 20,005 | 15,910 | 11,101 | 9,105 | 5,738 | | Actions against the police etc. | 4,276 | 3,930 | 3,134 | 2,533 | 2,310 | | Clinical negligence | 3,297 | 3,731 | 3,327 | 3,154 | 1,186 | | Consumer | 3,048 | 1,889 | 701 | 469 | 191 | | Discrimination | 1,775 | 1,416 | 1,163 | 926 | 558 | | Education | 1,761 | 1,331 | 727 | 458 | 293 | | Personal injury | 1,666 | 1,422 | 1,321 | 1,181 | 1,026 | | Public law | 4,182 | 2,391 | 728 | 384 | 174 | | Miscellaneous | 166,574 | 160,186 | 116,918 | 105,827 | 94,896 | | Tribunals | 128,771 | 120,616 | 77,230 | 62,833 | 49,211 | | Mental health | 37,803 | 39,570 | 39,688 | 42,994 | 45,685 |

| **Value** | | | | | | |-----------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Total | 256,275 | 241,758 | 205,828 | 178,102 | 133,160 | | (excluding Housing possession court duty scheme, telephone advice service and Telephone operator service) | | | | | | | Family | 61,280 | 56,998 | 49,323 | 39,174 | 26,316 | | Social Welfare | 76,293 | 68,332 | 60,678 | 50,699 | 24,537 | | Community care | 2,808 | 2,503 | 2,285 | 2,251 | 2,024 | | Debt | 23,928 | 21,387 | 17,859 | 13,957 | 3,847 | | Employment | 4,781 | 4,387 | 3,955 | 2,730 | 1,359 | | Housing | 22,596 | 20,149 | 18,781 | 15,805 | 10,274 | | Welfare benefits | 22,190 | 19,908 | 17,789 | 15,956 | 7,033 | | Low Volume | 5,899 | 5,950 | 5,314 | 4,938 | 3,617 | | Actions against the police etc. | 1,587 | 1,731 | 1,596 | 1,444 | 1,301 | | Clinical negligence | 972 | 1,271 | 1,237 | 1,285 | 588 | | Consumer | 567 | 330 | 150 | 135 | 51 | | Discrimination | 1,239 | 1,199 | 1,231 | 1,153 | 888 | | Education | 460 | 430 | 247 | 178 | 175 | | Personal injury | 615 | 670 | 684 | 651 | 552 | | Public law | 459 | 320 | 169 | 93 | 62 | | Miscellaneous | 112,803 | 110,877 | 90,513 | 83,291 | 78,691 | | Tribunals | 79,151 | 74,619 | 54,207 | 45,578 | 39,053 | | Mental health | 33,652 | 36,257 | 36,306 | 37,713 | 39,637 | Table 6.1: Civil representation, applications received

Applications received for civil representation by category

| Financial Year Quarter | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | | Total | 187,588 | 176,375 | 190,641 | 113,180 | | Family | 156,967 | 147,095 | 160,950 | 89,871 | | Combined family proceedings | 8 | 12 | 8 | 2 | | Domestic violence | 19,951 | 17,652 | 17,387 | 16,158 | | Financial provision | 15,074 | 10,977 | 12,835 | 2,772 | | Other family proceedings | 3,886 | 3,591 | 3,634 | 833 | | Other public law | 8,286 | 8,176 | 8,842 | 7,610 | | Private law | 68,434 | 61,693 | 70,149 | 16,501 | | Special Children Act proceedings | 41,328 | 44,994 | 48,095 | 45,995 | | Social Welfare | 16,298 | 15,189 | 15,260 | 12,836 | | Community care | 1,009 | 909 | 1,001 | 937 | | Debt | 722 | 410 | 355 | 209 | | Employment | 117 | 117 | 91 | 25 | | Housing | 14,401 | 13,708 | 13,767 | 11,642 | | Welfare benefits | 49 | 45 | 46 | 23 | | Low Volume | 10,730 | 10,054 | 9,893 | 5,413 | | Actions against the police etc. | 1,667 | 1,689 | 1,879 | 1,289 | | Clinical negligence | 4,313 | 4,039 | 3,853 | 821 | | Consumer | 746 | 384 | 297 | 73 | | Discrimination | 1 | 22 | | | | Education | 197 | 182 | 203 | 82 | | Personal injury | 77 | 38 | 19 | 9 | | Public law | 2,305 | 2,724 | 2,811 | 2,528 | | Miscellaneous | 1,425 | 998 | 830 | 589 | | Tribunals | 3,593 | 4,037 | 4,538 | 5,060 | | Immigration | 2,955 | 3,278 | 3,849 | 4,440 | | Mental health | 638 | 759 | 689 | 620 |

| 2011-12 | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | |---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | 42,787 | 45,623 | 43,403 | 44,562 | | 35,548 | 38,040 | 36,303 | 37,204 | | 36,430 | 38,336 | 37,242 | 48,942 | | 28,315 | 20,358 | 20,475 | 20,723 |

| 2012-13 | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | |---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | 43,543 | 45,515 | 44,248 | 57,335 | | 34,550 | 26,334 | 26,430 | 25,866 |

| 2013-14 | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | |---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | 35,450 | 26,334 | 26,430 | 25,866 |

52 Table 6.2: Civil representation, certificates granted

Certificates granted including grants for emergency certificates for civil representation by category

| Financial Year Quarter | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Total | 153,602 | 148,274 | 150,453 | 107,944 | | Family | 130,706 | 125,949 | 127,767 | 89,638 | | Combined family proceedings | 10 | 12 | 5 | 2 | | Domestic violence | 18,038 | 16,257 | 15,720 | 15,231 | | Financial provision | 9,846 | 7,336 | 6,201 | 3,815 | | Help with mediation | 1 | | | | | Other family proceedings | 1,353 | 1,390 | 1,353 | 399 | | Other public law | 6,994 | 6,990 | 7,280 | 6,695 | | Private law Children Act proceedings | 53,358 | 49,113 | 49,218 | 16,662 | | Special Children Act proceedings | 41,106 | 44,851 | 47,990 | 46,834 | | Social Welfare | 13,424 | 12,985 | 13,102 | 11,588 | | Community care | 857 | 759 | 830 | 581 | | Debt | 366 | 231 | 192 | 138 | | Employment | 66 | 62 | 53 | 12 | | Housing | 12,112 | 11,911 | 12,011 | 10,849 | | Welfare benefits | 23 | 22 | 16 | 8 | | Low Volume | 6,460 | 6,165 | 5,935 | 3,727 | | Actions against the police etc. | 1,048 | 1,161 | 1,219 | 744 | | Clinical negligence | 2,905 | 2,638 | 2,399 | 1,032 | | Consumer | 285 | 149 | 122 | 54 | | Discrimination | 1 | 4 | | | | Education | 139 | 125 | 137 | 43 | | Personal injury | 28 | 6 | 8 | 2 | | Public law | 1,484 | 1,692 | 1,797 | 1,567 | | Miscellaneous | 571 | 394 | 252 | 281 | | Tribunals | 3,012 | 3,175 | 3,649 | 2,991 | | Immigration | 2,494 | 2,566 | 3,143 | 2,538 | | Mental health | 518 | 609 | 506 | 453 |

53 Table 6.3: Civil representation, certificates completed Certificates completed for civil representation by category

Financial Year Quarter

2010-11

2011-12

2012-13 2013-141

2011-12 Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar

2012-13 Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar

2013-141 Apr-Jun Jul-Sep Oct-Dec Jan-Mar

Total

129,570

138,171

137,365

147,548

31,261

36,858

34,189

35,863

34,514

32,953

34,763

35,135

36,583

35,297

36,622

39,046

Family 108,170 Combined family proceedings 30 Domestic violence 15,749 Financial provision 10,537 Help with mediation 145 Other family proceedings 1,085 Other public law Children Act proceedings 6,395 Private law Children Act proceedings 46,168 Special Children Act proceedings 28,061

117,574 22 16,066 9,396 51 1,193 6,316 48,818 35,712

118,205 10 15,214 7,724 26 1,138 6,236 44,940 42,917

129,374 8 14,231 7,023 8 1,198 6,954 44,249 55,703

26,471 5 3,506 2,207 17 241 1,531 10,984 7,980

31,463 4 4,250 2,463 16 334 1,674 13,629 9,093

28,857 5 3,861 2,507 11 287 1,521 11,959 8,706

30,783 8 4,449 2,219 7 331 1,590 12,246 9,933

29,195 4 3,968 2,191 11 279 1,526 11,755 9,461

28,452 2 3,751 1,934 9 291 1,441 10,837 10,187

30,019 1 3,805 1,831 4 281 1,649 10,939 11,509

30,539 3 3,690 1,768 2 287 1,620 11,409 11,760

32,021 2 3,653 1,721 3 340 1,674 11,636 12,992

30,755 1 2,992 1,628 2 319 1,681 11,144 12,988

32,230 2 3,529 2,044 3 239 1,644 10,835 13,934

34,368 3 4,057 1,630 300 1,955 10,634 15,789

Social Welfare Community care Debt Employment Housing Welfare benefits

11,670 701 326 68 10,506 69

11,309 705 287 46 10,254 17

10,983 685 219 39 10,021 19

11,311 706 179 27 10,386 13

2,443 138 70 9 2,220 6

2,939 147 82 13 2,692 5

3,071 214 74 17 2,762 4

2,856 206 61 7 2,580 2

3,054 200 70 13 2,769 2

2,553 134 52 4 2,359 4

2,635 169 53 10 2,397 6

2,741 182 44 12 2,496 7

2,752 157 45 8 2,535 7

2,772 167 47 8 2,545 5

## 2,837 176 44 5 2,612

2,950 206 43 6 2,694 1

Low Volume Actions against the police etc. Clinical negligence Consumer Discrimination Education Personal injury Public law Miscellaneous

7,263 834 3,301 435 0 221 529 1,165 778

7,001 786 3,542 336 0 173 354 1,241 569

5,988 841 2,764 223 0 113 284 1,313 450

5,019 794 2,355 150 0 111 87 1,222 300

1,830 178 973 89 0 39 119 294 138

1,770 184 869 81 0 55 71 355 155

1,661 171 829 90 0 49 90 293 139

1,740 253 871 76 0 30 74 299 137

1,761 259 813 63 0 34 112 336 144

1,433 185 683 55 0 24 60 302 124

1,495 202 691 62 0 23 80 341 96

1,299 195 577 43 0 32 32 334 86

1,304 196 592 36 0 31 31 338 80

1,291 231 595 37 0 25 23 306 74

1,157 168 549 40 0 30 8 283 79

1,267 199 619 37 0 25 25 295 67

Tribunals Immigration Mental health

2,467 2,218 249

2,287 1,939 348

2,189 1,790 399

1,844 1,461 383

517 444 73

686 600 86

600 518 82

484 377 107

504 404 100

515 435 80

614 517 97

556 434 122

506 404 102

479 392 87

398 318 80

461 347 114

1

Data does not include cases completed in the LAA’s new administrative system, including these would raise completed volumes by an estimated 0.6% and total value by less than 0.5%.

54

Table 6.4: Civil representation costs met by LAA

Volume and total value of the Civil Representation cases which have completed within this financial year

| Civil representation | 2012-2013 | 2013-14 | |----------------------|-----------|---------| | | Volume | Solicitors' profit costs (£'000) | Disbursements (£'000) | Counsel's fees (£'000) | Total cost (£'000) | Volume | Solicitors' profit costs (£'000) | Disbursements (£'000) | Counsel's fees (£'000) | Total cost (£'000) | | Total | 133,315 | 489,597 | 120,889 | 162,217 | 772,702 | 143,545 | 527,394 | 114,554 | 160,571 | 802,518 | | Family | 117,991 | 451,302 | 110,316 | 140,828 | 702,446 | 129,161 | 492,958 | 106,297 | 143,334 | 742,588 | | Combined family proceedings | 10 | 21 | 2 | 7 | 30 | 8 | 20 | 2 | 8 | 30 | | Domestic violence | 15,204 | 34,406 | 5,798 | 6,991 | 47,196 | 14,211 | 31,906 | 4,601 | 5,815 | 42,322 | | Financial provision | 7,554 | 21,431 | 2,819 | 5,806 | 30,056 | 6,855 | 17,727 | 2,356 | 4,986 | 25,069 | | Help with Mediation | 25 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | | Other family proceedings | 1,119 | 2,890 | 675 | 782 | 4,347 | 1,193 | 3,907 | 758 | 1,334 | 5,999 | | Other public law Children Act proceedings | 6,231 | 20,836 | 4,671 | 10,691 | 36,198 | 6,953 | 18,633 | 3,754 | 8,398 | 30,785 | | Private law Children Act proceedings | 44,932 | 118,582 | 25,149 | 31,588 | 175,319 | 44,238 | 110,547 | 19,165 | 26,479 | 158,192 | | Special Children Act proceedings | 42,916 | 253,108 | 71,202 | 84,963 | 409,273 | 55,695 | 310,208 | 75,662 | 94,313 | 480,182 | | Social Welfare | 9,727 | 17,463 | 2,105 | 9,641 | 29,208 | 9,882 | 17,004 | 1,943 | 8,487 | 27,435 | | Community care | 613 | 1,761 | 279 | 758 | 2,799 | 610 | 1,664 | 159 | 662 | 2,485 | | Debt | 201 | 544 | 71 | 407 | 1,022 | 161 | 388 | 44 | 214 | 646 | | Employment | 38 | 77 | 5 | 62 | 144 | 26 | 45 | 2 | 39 | 86 | | Housing | 8,857 | 15,031 | 1,719 | 8,294 | 25,044 | 9,073 | 14,895 | 1,736 | 7,502 | 24,133 | | Welfare benefits | 18 | 49 | 31 | 120 | 200 | 12 | 13 | 2 | 70 | 85 | | Low Volume | 3,777 | 15,258 | 7,573 | 7,834 | 30,665 | 3,167 | 11,903 | 5,554 | 5,631 | 23,088 | | Actions against the police etc. | 315 | 908 | 313 | 754 | 1,976 | 355 | 1,077 | 379 | 651 | 2,107 | | Clinical negligence | 1,581 | 6,896 | 5,693 | 1,500 | 14,089 | 1,320 | 5,881 | 4,449 | 1,058 | 11,389 | | Consumer | 188 | 550 | 160 | 453 | 1,163 | 109 | 549 | 78 | 479 | 1,106 | | Education | 101 | 319 | 68 | 157 | 544 | 97 | 256 | 43 | 162 | 461 | | Personal injury | 171 | 1,014 | 172 | 183 | 1,370 | 54 | 375 | 76 | 128 | 579 | | Public law | 1,059 | 2,826 | 362 | 2,271 | 5,459 | 994 | 2,622 | 362 | 2,301 | 5,285 | | Miscellaneous | 362 | 2,744 | 803 | 2,516 | 6,063 | 238 | 1,143 | 166 | 851 | 2,161 | | Tribunals | 1,820 | 5,575 | 895 | 3,914 | 10,384 | 1,335 | 5,528 | 760 | 3,119 | 9,407 | | Immigration | 1,436 | 1,955 | 264 | 2,384 | 4,604 | 959 | 1,459 | 205 | 1,209 | 2,873 | | Mental health | 384 | 3,620 | 631 | 1,530 | 5,780 | 376 | 4,069 | 555 | 1,910 | 6,534 |

1 Data does not include cases completed in the LAA’s new CCMS system, including these would increase completed volumes by an estimated 0.6% and total value by less than 0.5%. Table 6.5: Civil representation costs met by opponent

Volume and total value of the Civil Representation cases which have completed within this financial year

| Civil representation | 2012-2013 | 2013-14 | |----------------------|-----------|---------| | | Volume | Solicitors' profit costs (£'000) | Disbursements (£'000) | Legal aid only costs (000s) | Counsel's fees (£'000) | Total cost (£'000) | Volume | Solicitors' profit costs (£'000) | Disbursements (£'000) | Legal aid only costs (000s) | Counsel's fees (£'000) | Total cost (£'000) | | Total | 4,050 | 94,411 | 24,755 | 2,338 | 21,973 | 143,476 | 4,003 | 84,116 | 22,474 | 2,004 | 21,033 | 129,627 | | Family | 214 | 1,433 | 165 | 396 | 381 | 2,376 | 213 | 1,768 | 150 | 431 | 590 | 2,939 | | Domestic violence | 10 | 54 | 7 | 43 | 11 | 114 | 20 | 172 | 13 | 33 | 103 | 320 | | Financial provision | 170 | 1,117 | 129 | 233 | 300 | 1,779 | 168 | 1,431 | 127 | 286 | 456 | 2,300 | | Help with Mediation | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Other family proceedings | 19 | 227 | 25 | 26 | 55 | 334 | 5 | 78 | 6 | 2 | 17 | 103 | | Other public law Children Act proceedings | 5 | 25 | 2 | 42 | 13 | 83 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | | Private law Children Act proceedings | 8 | 8 | 1 | 51 | 1 | 61 | 11 | 61 | 4 | 24 | 12 | 101 | | Special Children Act proceedings | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 25 | 0 | 86 | 2 | 113 | | Social Welfare | 1,256 | 7,754 | 1,025 | 644 | 1,992 | 11,414 | 1,429 | 9,414 | 1,181 | 544 | 2,570 | 13,709 | | Community care | 72 | 828 | 60 | 120 | 389 | 1,397 | 96 | 1,279 | 72 | 91 | 491 | 1,932 | | Debt | 18 | 138 | 13 | 3 | 61 | 216 | 18 | 202 | 24 | 26 | 67 | 318 | | Employment | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | | Housing | 1,164 | 6,777 | 952 | 521 | 1,536 | 9,786 | 1,313 | 7,928 | 1,085 | 428 | 2,008 | 11,448 | | Welfare benefits | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | | Low Volume | 2,211 | 83,288 | 23,411 | 1,169 | 18,298 | 126,165 | 1,852 | 70,122 | 20,935 | 671 | 16,286 | 108,013 | | Actions against the police etc. | 526 | 8,447 | 1,397 | 124 | 1,848 | 11,816 | 439 | 7,437 | 1,068 | 59 | 1,714 | 10,279 | | Clinical negligence | 1,183 | 64,295 | 19,884 | 467 | 11,933 | 96,579 | 1,035 | 54,518 | 18,476 | 242 | 10,824 | 84,060 | | Consumer | 35 | 378 | 58 | 11 | 135 | 582 | 41 | 458 | 52 | 3 | 153 | 666 | | Discrimination | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Education | 12 | 156 | 11 | 7 | 33 | 207 | 14 | 230 | 22 | 37 | 95 | 385 | | Personal injury | 113 | 4,265 | 1,321 | 4 | 1,025 | 6,615 | 33 | 2,681 | 827 | 12 | 733 | 4,253 | | Public law | 254 | 3,938 | 326 | 378 | 2,363 | 7,005 | 228 | 3,265 | 278 | 295 | 2,034 | 5,872 | | Miscellaneous | 88 | 1,809 | 416 | 177 | 961 | 3,362 | 62 | 1,533 | 211 | 22 | 733 | 2,498 | | Tribunals | 369 | 1,936 | 154 | 129 | 1,303 | 3,522 | 509 | 2,812 | 207 | 359 | 1,587 | 4,965 | | Immigration | 354 | 1,719 | 132 | 123 | 1,184 | 3,157 | 502 | 2,774 | 206 | 355 | 1,577 | 4,911 | | Mental health | 15 | 217 | 22 | 6 | 119 | 364 | 7 | 38 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 55 | Table 6.6: Civil representation outcomes

Outcomes reported and the benefits received by funded clients for the civil representation scheme.

| Category of law | Volume | % Benefit | Stages reached and % with substantive benefits to client | Total number in sample | % Substantive benefit to client | Previous year | % Substantive benefit to client | |----------------------------------------|--------|-----------|----------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------|---------------------------------| | | | | No proceedings issued | Proceedings issued but concluded before final hearing | Proceedings issued and concluded at a final hearing | Total number in sample | % Substantive benefit to client | Total number in sample | % Substantive benefit to client | | Total | 9,121 | 47% | 57,069 73% | 78,515 64% | 144,705 67% | 134,138 68% | | Family | 3,892 | 44% | 48,902 73% | 74,096 65% | 126,890 67% | 115,922 69% | | Combined family proceedings | 1 | 0% | 3 67% | 3 100% | 7 71% | 7 86% | | Domestic violence | 674 | 34% | 7,708 83% | 5,579 82% | 13,961 80% | 14,801 80% | | Financial provision | 846 | 59% | 3,711 86% | 2,263 71% | 6,820 78% | 7,412 83% | | Help with Mediation | 4 | 75% | 2 100% | 0 0% | 6 83% | 25 88% | | Other family proceedings | 83 | 40% | 744 63% | 348 71% | 1,175 64% | 1,111 64% | | Other public law Children Act proceedings | 166 | 34% | 2,135 56% | 4,521 66% | 6,822 62% | 6,102 61% | | Private law Children Act proceedings | 1,911 | 41% | 27,023 73% | 14,839 75% | 43,773 73% | 44,266 74% | | Special Children Act proceedings | 207 | 52% | 7,576 61% | 46,543 59% | 54,326 59% | 42,198 60% | | Social Welfare | 2,513 | 56% | 5,126 80% | 3,480 67% | 11,119 70% | 10,698 71% | | Community care | 495 | 69% | 130 84% | 36 47% | 661 71% | 680 66% | | Debt | 21 | 48% | 82 70% | 64 58% | 167 62% | 206 65% | | Employment | 5 | 0% | 8 63% | 12 25% | 25 32% | 39 54% | | Housing | 1,988 | 53% | 4,904 80% | 3,365 67% | 10,257 70% | 9,756 71% | | Welfare benefits | 4 | 0% | 2 0% | 3 0% | 9 0% | 17 35% | | Low Volume | 2,242 | 38% | 2,053 71% | 593 54% | 4,888 54% | 5,612 51% | | Actions against the police etc. | 229 | 35% | 454 78% | 103 50% | 786 62% | 826 67% | | Clinical negligence | 1,258 | 30% | 902 77% | 172 66% | 2,332 51% | 2,674 46% | | Consumer | 58 | 40% | 50 80% | 28 43% | 136 55% | 199 46% | | Education | 67 | 75% | 24 67% | 14 43% | 105 69% | 107 62% | | Personal injury | 11 | 45% | 19 89% | 16 56% | 46 67% | 152 53% | | Public law | 545 | 52% | 486 50% | 174 48% | 1,205 51% | 1,266 50% | | Miscellaneous | 74 | 46% | 118 73% | 86 55% | 278 60% | 388 59% | | Tribunals | 474 | 65% | 988 50% | 346 45% | 1,808 53% | 1,906 56% | | Immigration | 417 | 68% | 866 49% | 149 36% | 1,432 53% | 1,513 56% | | Mental health | 57 | 46% | 122 61% | 197 52% | 376 54% | 393 56% | Table 7.1: Mediation assessments

Civil representation willingness test and mediation assessments, volume and value, 2006-07 to 2013-14

| Financial Year | Quarter | Willingness Test Volume | Willingness Test Expenditure | Volume | Value (£) | |----------------|---------|-------------------------|-----------------------------|--------|-----------| | | | | | Assessment meeting - separate | Assessment meeting - together | Assessment meeting - alone | Assessment meeting - separate | Assessment meeting - together | Assessment meeting - alone | Assessment Expenditure | | 2006-07 | | 48,419 | 1,741,691 | 22,758 | 33,923 | 5,796 | 7,784 | 2,754,465 | 602,003 | 657,373 | 4,013,840 | | 2007-08 | | 48,122 | 1,561,669 | 22,665 | 34,056 | 5,637 | 7,841 | 3,117,433 | 708,733 | 729,803 | 4,555,969 | | 2008-09 | | 52,272 | 1,511,846 | 24,152 | 38,546 | 4,879 | 8,061 | 3,884,716 | 733,279 | 814,937 | 5,432,932 | | 2009-10 | | 59,451 | 1,705,811 | 27,138 | 44,763 | 4,756 | 9,633 | 4,475,338 | 708,383 | 968,172 | 6,151,893 | | 2010-11 | | 60,441 | 1,771,474 | 26,388 | 44,446 | 4,164 | 10,882 | 4,530,008 | 631,379 | 1,115,181 | 6,276,568 | | 2011-12 | | 66,421 | 1,976,385 | 31,338 | 54,538 | 4,068 | 14,784 | 5,633,630 | 627,341 | 1,535,281 | 7,796,253 | | 2012-13 | | 64,783 | 1,931,165 | 30,662 | 54,557 | 3,382 | 18,147 | 5,646,718 | 524,537 | 1,881,850 | 8,053,106 | | 2013-14 | | 147 | 4,410 | 13,354 | 24,293 | 1,207 | 4,777 | 2,503,837 | 186,129 | 492,696 | 3,182,662 | | | Apr-Jun | 17,006 | 506,005 | 7,769 | 13,273 | 1,132 | 3,556 | 1,371,335 | 173,905 | 369,981 | 1,915,221 | | | Jul-Sep | 17,516 | 520,955 | 8,221 | 14,253 | 1,094 | 3,942 | 1,470,682 | 168,985 | 409,937 | 2,049,603 | | | Oct-Dec | 15,485 | 460,755 | 7,364 | 12,868 | 930 | 3,442 | 1,329,061 | 143,286 | 357,249 | 1,829,596 | | | Jan-Mar | 16,414 | 488,670 | 7,984 | 14,144 | 912 | 3,844 | 1,462,554 | 141,165 | 398,114 | 2,001,833 | | 2012-13 | Apr-Jun | 15,201 | 453,285 | 7,383 | 12,901 | 932 | 3,574 | 1,336,465 | 144,496 | 370,164 | 1,851,124 | | | Jul-Sep | 15,050 | 448,480 | 7,334 | 13,045 | 811 | 3,930 | 1,349,889 | 125,818 | 408,332 | 1,884,039 | | | Oct-Dec | 13,828 | 412,180 | 6,680 | 11,862 | 749 | 3,680 | 1,227,156 | 116,181 | 381,401 | 1,724,738 | | | Jan-Mar | 20,704 | 617,220 | 9,265 | 16,749 | 890 | 6,963 | 1,733,209 | 138,042 | 721,954 | 2,593,205 | | 2013-14 | Apr-Jun | 88 | 2,640 | 3,936 | 7,134 | 369 | 1,530 | 736,403 | 57,332 | 158,417 | 952,152 | | | Jul-Sep | 9 | 270 | 3,337 | 6,052 | 311 | 1,181 | 623,976 | 47,632 | 122,074 | 793,681 | | | Oct-Dec | 3 | 90 | 2,860 | 5,138 | 291 | 901 | 529,469 | 44,902 | 92,784 | 667,154 | | | Jan-Mar | 47 | 1,410 | 3,221 | 5,969 | 236 | 1,165 | 613,989 | 36,263 | 119,422 | 769,674 |

1 Figures for assessments include those with both parties in attendance and half of the attendance volume where both parties appear separately. Table 7.2: Mediations

Civil representation mediation starts and mediation outcomes, volume and value, 2006-07 to 2013-14

| Financial Year | Quarter | Mediation starts | Agreements reached | Full Agreement | Partial Agreement | No Agreement | Full Agreement | Partial Agreement | No Agreement | Expenditure | |----------------|---------|------------------|-------------------|----------------|------------------|-------------|----------------|------------------|-------------|-------------| | 2006-07 | | 13,918 | 8,996 | 8,535 | 461 | 4,616 | 4,739,392 | 264,902 | 1,503,736 | 6,508,031 | | 2007-08 | | 13,239 | 9,164 | 8,680 | 484 | 4,304 | 4,820,979 | 265,691 | 1,460,163 | 6,546,833 | | 2008-09 | | 13,537 | 8,989 | 8,485 | 504 | 4,375 | 4,949,272 | 297,509 | 1,451,159 | 6,697,940 | | 2009-10 | | 14,745 | 9,939 | 9,376 | 563 | 4,297 | 5,434,720 | 342,596 | 1,457,982 | 7,235,298 | | 2010-11 | | 14,186 | 9,920 | 9,352 | 568 | 4,101 | 5,269,125 | 354,599 | 1,374,201 | 6,997,924 | | 2011-12 | | 15,357 | 9,799 | 9,263 | 536 | 4,827 | 5,039,026 | 340,963 | 1,537,904 | 6,917,892 | | 2012-13 | | 13,609 | 9,076 | 8,632 | 444 | 4,911 | 4,490,601 | 260,900 | 1,556,017 | 6,307,518 | | 2013-14 | | 8,400 | 6,613 | 6,291 | 322 | 3,028 | 3,186,251 | 191,774 | 913,655 | 4,291,680 | | 2011-12 Apr-Jun| | 3,781 | 2,359 | 2,235 | 124 | 1,090 | 1,246,093 | 81,403 | 368,359 | 1,695,855 | | Jul-Sep | | 4,025 | 2,481 | 2,339 | 142 | 1,246 | 1,294,122 | 91,271 | 381,416 | 1,766,808 | | Oct-Dec | | 3,735 | 2,425 | 2,290 | 135 | 1,199 | 1,225,308 | 85,031 | 379,961 | 1,690,300 | | Jan-Mar | | 3,816 | 2,534 | 2,399 | 135 | 1,292 | 1,273,503 | 83,258 | 408,168 | 1,764,929 | | 2012-13 Apr-Jun| | 3,566 | 2,508 | 2,375 | 133 | 1,223 | 1,242,265 | 79,430 | 392,483 | 1,714,178 | | Jul-Sep | | 3,519 | 2,325 | 2,220 | 105 | 1,255 | 1,171,306 | 54,285 | 381,510 | 1,607,101 | | Oct-Dec | | 3,242 | 2,234 | 2,131 | 103 | 1,189 | 1,114,759 | 61,699 | 375,001 | 1,551,460 | | Jan-Mar | | 3,282 | 2,009 | 1,906 | 103 | 1,244 | 962,270 | 65,486 | 407,023 | 1,434,779 | | 2013-14 Apr-Jun| | 2,700 | 2,123 | 2,018 | 105 | 958 | 1,048,183 | 63,904 | 286,979 | 1,399,066 | | Jul-Sep | | 2,085 | 1,759 | 1,675 | 84 | 777 | 848,534 | 53,914 | 232,977 | 1,135,425 | | Oct-Dec | | 1,876 | 1,435 | 1,373 | 62 | 653 | 690,141 | 34,512 | 201,795 | 926,448 | | Jan-Mar | | 1,739 | 1,296 | 1,225 | 71 | 640 | 599,394 | 39,444 | 191,904 | 830,742 | Table 8.1: Appeals – against representation decision

| Category of law | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |----------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | | Number of appeals | Number granted | % Granted | Number of appeals | Number granted | % Granted | Number of appeals | Number granted | % Granted | Number of appeals | Number granted | % Granted | | Family | 7,203 | 870 | 12% | 8,033 | 1,002 | 12% | 7,252 | 803 | 11% | 6,736 | 745 | 11% | | Combined family proceedings | 2 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | .. | 0 | 0 | .. | | Domestic violence | 760 | 128 | 17% | 816 | 132 | 16% | 642 | 103 | 16% | 651 | 147 | 23% | | Financial provision | 1,418 | 114 | 8% | 1,189 | 112 | 9% | 1,066 | 92 | 9% | 1,109 | 82 | 7% | | Help with Mediation | 1 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 2 | 67% | 2 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | .. | | Other family proceedings | 377 | 18 | 5% | 361 | 20 | 6% | 394 | 39 | 10% | 310 | 15 | 5% | | Other public law Children Act proceedings | 466 | 38 | 8% | 565 | 50 | 9% | 485 | 47 | 10% | 543 | 58 | 11% | | Private law Children Act proceedings | 3,690 | 443 | 12% | 4,360 | 476 | 11% | 4,269 | 482 | 11% | 3,591 | 370 | 10% | | Special Children Act proceedings | 489 | 129 | 26% | 737 | 210 | 28% | 394 | 40 | 10% | 532 | 73 | 14% | | Social welfare | 1,182 | 126 | 11% | 1,264 | 154 | 12% | 1,016 | 86 | 8% | 853 | 64 | 8% | | Community care | 90 | 11 | 12% | 152 | 15 | 10% | 144 | 8 | 6% | 122 | 9 | 7% | | Debt | 132 | 7 | 5% | 46 | 4 | 9% | 54 | 2 | 4% | 28 | 4 | 14% | | Employment | 16 | 1 | 6% | 11 | 1 | 9% | 16 | 1 | 6% | 2 | 0 | 0% | | Housing | 940 | 106 | 11% | 1,049 | 133 | 13% | 796 | 75 | 9% | 701 | 51 | 7% | | Welfare benefits | 4 | 1 | 25% | 6 | 1 | 17% | 6 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | .. | | Low volume | 2,078 | 217 | 10% | 1,769 | 123 | 7% | 1,274 | 80 | 6% | 903 | 63 | 7% | | Actions against the police etc. | 301 | 32 | 11% | 204 | 21 | 10% | 182 | 8 | 4% | 165 | 9 | 5% | | Clinical negligence | 944 | 109 | 12% | 962 | 58 | 6% | 650 | 42 | 6% | 399 | 25 | 6% | | Consumer | 292 | 26 | 9% | 125 | 4 | 3% | 99 | 7 | 7% | 44 | 7 | 16% | | Discrimination | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 0 | .. | | Education | 56 | 11 | 20% | 64 | 9 | 14% | 43 | 7 | 16% | 23 | 3 | 13% | | Personal injury | 30 | 0 | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0% | 20 | 0 | 0% | 9 | 1 | 11% | | Public law | 207 | 20 | 10% | 231 | 19 | 8% | 176 | 10 | 6% | 211 | 17 | 8% | | Miscellaneous | 248 | 19 | 8% | 163 | 12 | 7% | 104 | 6 | 6% | 49 | 1 | 2% | | Tribunals | 10,871 | 1,329 | 12% | 11,590 | 1,375 | 12% | 10,144 | 1,059 | 10% | 9,092 | 948 | 10% | | Immigration | 165 | 49 | 30% | 212 | 43 | 20% | 257 | 43 | 17% | 266 | 34 | 13% | | Mental health | 39 | 9 | 23% | 50 | 5 | 10% | 44 | 2 | 5% | 34 | 4 | 12% | | Total | 10,667 | 1,271 | 12% | 11,328 | 1,327 | 12% | 9,843 | 1,014 | 10% | 8,792 | 910 | 10% | Table 8.2: Appeals – against representation provided

Upon the granting of public funding opponents may make representations against the grant or continuation of funding.

| Outcome of investigation into representations | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-----------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------| | | Merits | Means | Merits & means | Total | Merits | Means | Merits & means | Total | Merits | Means | Merits & means | Total | | Number received | 1,370 | 1,133 | 160 | 2,663 | 1,146 | 1,250 | 78 | 2,474 | 1,276 | 945 | 96 | 2,317 | | (As % of total) | 51% | 43% | 6% | - | 46% | 51% | 3% | - | 55% | 41% | 4% | - | | No change | 827 | 516 | 69 | 1,412 | 899 | 791 | 69 | 1,759 | 1,097 | 562 | 51 | 1,710 | | Application refused | 34 | 9 | 2 | 45 | 67 | 9 | 5 | 81 | 43 | 6 | 5 | 54 | | Certificate amended | 6 | 30 | 4 | 40 | 11 | 30 | 0 | 41 | 13 | 32 | 3 | 48 | | Certificate discharged | 165 | 90 | 19 | 274 | 156 | 61 | 5 | 222 | 213 | 96 | 8 | 317 | | Certificate revoked | 14 | 210 | 23 | 247 | 16 | 271 | 14 | 301 | 19 | 186 | 10 | 215 | | Total representations closed out | 1,046 | 855 | 117 | 2,018 | 1,149 | 1,162 | 93 | 2,404 | 1,385 | 882 | 77 | 2,344 | Table 9: Civil Legal Help – Providers available

Volume of civil procurement area level provider contracts valid on the last day of the reported period, by category of law

| Category of law | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |--------------------------|---------|---------|---------| | | All Solicitors | NFP | Telephone advice service | All Solicitors | NFP | Telephone advice service | All Solicitors | NFP | Telephone advice service | | Family | 2,052 | 2,040 | 8 | 4 | 1,956 | 1,945 | 7 | 4 | 2,075 | 1,972 | 100 | 3 | | Actions against the police etc. | 81 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 79 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 76 | 0 | 0 | | Clinical negligence | 286 | 286 | 0 | 0 | 283 | 283 | 0 | 0 | 270 | 270 | 0 | 0 | | Community care | 140 | 101 | 39 | 0 | 127 | 96 | 31 | 0 | 116 | 91 | 25 | 0 | | Consumer | 37 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 37 | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Debt | 356 | 91 | 258 | 7 | 337 | 89 | 240 | 8 | 662 | 432 | 225 | 5 | | Discrimination | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | | Education | 29 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | | Employment | 179 | 100 | 76 | 3 | 169 | 92 | 74 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Housing | 530 | 324 | 203 | 3 | 509 | 308 | 198 | 3 | 660 | 431 | 224 | 5 | | Immigration | 226 | 187 | 39 | 0 | 212 | 178 | 34 | 0 | 418 | 351 | 67 | 0 | | Mental health | 192 | 189 | 3 | 0 | 257 | 254 | 3 | 0 | 250 | 246 | 4 | 0 | | Personal injury | 116 | 116 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 113 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Public law | 109 | 95 | 14 | 0 | 113 | 99 | 14 | 0 | 113 | 99 | 14 | 0 | | Welfare benefits | 359 | 86 | 268 | 5 | 345 | 86 | 252 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 11 | 0 | | Total non-family | 2,640 | 1,707 | 913 | 20 | 2,607 | 1,724 | 859 | 24 | 2,586 | 2,000 | 570 | 16 | | Total | 4,692 | 3,747 | 921 | 24 | 4,563 | 3,669 | 866 | 28 | 4,661 | 3,972 | 670 | 19 |

Please note that this table does not include the social welfare law (SWL) contracts held by community legal advice centres as these are issued under a different basis from other contracts. Licence only, and specialist Immigration Removal Centre contracts are also excluded. Table 10: Overall Summary Acts of Assistance and Expenditure since 2007-08

*Number of acts of assistance and fund spend split by crime and civil areas.*

| Type | Area | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |-----------------------------|---------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Acts of Assistance ('000s) | Crime Lower¹ | 1,379 | 1,432 | 1,408 | 1,338 | 1,252 | 1,235 | 1,203 | | | Crime Higher² | 124 | 124 | 126 | 131 | 139 | 123 | 121 | | | Crime total | 1,502 | 1,556 | 1,534 | 1,469 | 1,391 | 1,358 | 1,324 | | | Legal Help³ | 835 | 1,164 | 1,266 | 1,096 | 940 | 782 | 381 | | | Civil Representation⁴ | 166 | 150 | 165 | 150 | 146 | 144 | 116 | | | Civil total | 1,000 | 1,314 | 1,431 | 1,246 | 1,086 | 925 | 497 | | | Total | 2,503 | 2,870 | 2,965 | 2,715 | 2,477 | 2,283 | 1,821 | | Expenditure (£m) | Crime Lower | 476 | 498 | 463 | 444 | 431 | 385 | 367 | | | Crime Higher | 674 | 677 | 657 | 686 | 670 | 591 | 541 | | | Crime total | 1,150 | 1,175 | 1,121 | 1,130 | 1,101 | 975 | 909 | | | Legal Help | 254 | 274 | 324 | 278 | 223 | 184 | 130 | | | Civil Representation | 541 | 613 | 792 | 707 | 755 | 758 | 671 | | | Civil total | 795 | 887 | 1,116 | 985 | 978 | 942 | 801 | | | Total | 1,945 | 2,062 | 2,237 | 2,115 | 2,078 | 1,917 | 1,710 |

¹ Crime lower acts of assistance are based on claim volumes and exclude second claims for deferred sentencing. ² Crime higher acts of assistance are based on the number of representation orders granted for the Crown Court ³ Legal Help acts of assistance are based on new matter starts ⁴ Civil Representation acts of assistance includes granted civil representation applications and family mediation work Annex A - Glossary of key terms

Terms used in the report and tables are explained below.

**Act of assistance:** Volumes of work dealt with are usually called an act of assistance and this is a measure of when a case starts (also see new matter starts). Although used as a proxy to show the number of people helped, they do not equate exactly as some clients may have received more than one act of assistance during the year and some acts of assistance may help more than one person.

**Advocates' Graduated Fee Scheme (AGFS):** The fee scheme which governs fees paid to advocates (barristers or solicitor advocates) who represent clients in criminal proceedings in the Crown Court, other than in cases which have been classified as very high cost (Criminal) cases. Payment is determined by proxy measures, the seniority of the advocate, offence type, pages of prosecution evidence, prosecution witnesses and days that the advocate spends at court at trial.

**Appeals (in the Crown Court):** The Crown Court deals with appeals from magistrates' courts against conviction and sentence in the Magistrates Court or Youth Court, hospital or guardianship orders, failure to comply with a supervision order and failure to make a football banning order. The Crown Court also has the power to alter a sentence or other order made by the Crown Court within 56 days of the date on which it was made.

**Category and areas of law:** The LAA defines areas of law (education, housing etc) thematically and contracts for the provision of advice and representation based on the categories below (see below for Crime Higher, Crime Lower, Civil Family, Civil Social Welfare law, Civil Non-Family Low volume and Civil Tribunals)

**Civil:** The area of law that concerns the rights and relations of private citizens – for example, disputes relating to unpaid debts or the enforcement/breach of contracts. Covers civil and family law but excludes criminal matters.

**Civil Family categories:**

*Family controlled work* both private and public law (Civil Family)

*Children act - private* (Civil Family): covers disputes about divorce, children issues (contact and residence), the separate representation of children where the court appoints it, and child abduction.

*Domestic Abuse* (Civil Family): injunctions, committal orders, or other orders for protection of a person from harm or forced marriages. Unlike other applications there is no upper limit to a victim’s income or capital (they may have to pay a contribution).

*Financial provision* (Civil Family): ancillary relief i.e. money & property. There is a funding test for representation. Other (Civil Family): This area covers proceedings relating to defended divorce, nullity, civil partnership rights or applications under the Human Embryology Act.

Children act – public (Civil Family): for children or parents in disputes with the state, particularly local authorities, on matters such as care proceedings and adoption. In care proceedings there is no means or merits test.

Family Mediation (Civil Family): enables separating or divorcing couples to reach decisions about their arrangements together, using an independent third party mediator.

Civil Low Volume: These differ from other Civil and family categories as need is thinly distributed within the population, and demand is greatly influenced by the location and advice provided by low volume providers.

Actions against the Police (Civil Low Volume): help with claims against the police such as assault, entering the home, false imprisonment, wrongful arrest, interference with property, malicious prosecution or other abuses of police authority.

Clinical Negligence (Civil Low Volume): help with claims for damages against all types of public and private medical practitioners, including doctors, nurses and dentists.

Consumer and general contract (Civil Low Volume): enables clients to obtain advice and bring civil law actions regarding contracts and their enforcement (except where this falls into another category).

Education (Civil Low Volume): legal help on problems to do with the education service, including failing to provide education e.g. special educational needs, exclusions, bullying and admissions.

Personal Injury (Civil Low Volume): enables clients to take action for compensation if they have suffered an injury due to someone’s negligence or deliberate action. Most personal injury cases have now been excluded from the scope of legal aid. Most new cases involve applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

Public Law (Civil Low Volume): civil liberties or human rights advice including advice on data protection, freedom of information issues and how to challenge the decisions of public bodies.

Miscellaneous (Civil Low Volume): aimed at ensuring that meritorious cases can be brought and advice given for issues that do not fall within the scope.

Civil Social Welfare Law categories:

Community Care (Civil Social Welfare): help for people who are unable to look after themselves because of age, illness or disability. May include obtaining or challenging an assessment for adequate services, challenging care home closures or contesting involuntary removal from home, by a local authority if deemed incapable of looking after yourself.

**Debt** (Civil Social Welfare): personal debts, both priority (e.g. council tax, rent arrears) and non-priority (credit cards), rescheduling debts (e.g. negotiating payment plans with creditors), challenging the validity of debts (e.g. due to dormancy) and personal insolvency/bankruptcy/Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs).

**Employment** (Civil Social Welfare): unfair and wrongful dismissal, redundancy, employment contract, discrimination, strike action, data protection and employee confidentiality, terms and conditions and wages issues. Legal aid is available for assistance prior to an Employment Tribunal (not for representation at the Tribunal). It is available for representation at an Employment Appeal Tribunal.

**Housing** (Civil Social Welfare): help with issues arising out of where people live e.g. possession and eviction, disrepair, homelessness, allocation of housing, and other landlord and tenant issues. It also includes anti-social behaviour work (e.g. a local authority taking action against a tenant).

**Welfare Benefits** (Civil Social Welfare): covers receipt of and entitlement to benefits. Work in this category includes: challenging benefit decisions (e.g. where a benefit has been refused), gaining benefits a client is entitled to, benefit fraud and overpayments.

**Civil - Tribunals**

**Mental Health** (Civil Tribunals): covers all work where the primary legal issue relates to mental health, particularly where this is covered by the Mental Health Acts of 1983 and 2007, and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

**Immigration & Asylum** (Civil Tribunals): covers legal help on anything to do with immigration into the UK, for example, questions relating to nationality or right to stay in this country or deportations. Also covers issues relating to asylum including representation before the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and advice to appeal to higher courts.

**Civil Representation:** Representation by solicitors and barristers for civil cases, which could go to court (also see Licensed work).

**Committal for sentence:** Where, in the magistrates’ court, an offender has been convicted of, or has pleaded guilty to, an either way offence, but the magistrates consider that the penalties available to them are inadequate having regard to the seriousness of the offence or combination of offences, they may commit the offender to the Crown Court for sentencing.

**Community Legal Advice Centre (CLAC):** These were walk-in Community Legal Advice Centres providing free, generalized, face-to-face legal advice at an initial appointment and further specialized advice for people eligible for legal aid.

**Complex Crime Unit:** The Complex Crime Unit manages all Very High Cost Cases under a criminal legal aid contract.

**Contracted Providers:** The LAA contracts with solicitor firms and not for profit organisations to deliver face to face advice and assistance in both crime and civil, and to deliver advice over the telephone via Community Legal Advice (CLA) contracts. This includes contracted mediators who undertake mediation on behalf of legally aided clients.

**Controlled Work:** Work under the civil contract that covers legal advice and assistance (Legal Help), help at court and legal representation in front of Mental Health Review Tribunals and the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.

**Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (Crime Higher):** The appeal and higher courts deal with smaller volumes of caseload but are generally more complex with points of law and other unusual case work.

**Criminal Higher:** Legal representation in the Crown Court and above.

- **Crown Court (Crime Higher):** typically solicitor prepares case for trial and barrister or solicitor advocate provides representation.

- **Very High Cost Cases (Crime Higher):** extensive evidence reviewed and case prepared by solicitor. Senior counsel (QC) often presents.

- **Court of Appeal and Supreme Court (Crime Higher):** The appeal and higher courts deal with smaller volumes of caseload but are generally more complex with points of law and other unusual case work.

**Criminal Lower:** Work carried out by legal aid providers at police stations and in magistrates’ courts in relation to people accused of or charged with criminal offences. Prison law is also included within this category.

- **Magistrates’ Court (Crime Lower):** solicitor preparation for appearance or trial. Representation within the magistrates’ court, often by a solicitor advocate or junior barrister.

- **Police Station (Crime Lower):** advice on rights and options pre-charge, in the station, in person by solicitor or outside the police station relating to pre-charge; or applications to extend detention.

- **Prison Law (Crime Lower):** advice for prisoners relating to their treatment or discipline in prison (e.g. parole hearings) and their progression through the prison system.

**Disbursements:** Costs incurred by the provider that relate to expenses such as the cost of a travel, paying fees. For example, the payment of court fees, or paying other parties to undertake a service using experts’ opinions. **ECF application:** an ECF application for civil legal services is made where a case falls outside the scope of legal aid but the client or conducting solicitor believes there is evidence to support there being a requirement to provide funding because failure to do so would be a breach of, or having regard to any risk that failure to do so would be such a breach of, their Convention rights (within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998), or any rights of the individual to the provision of legal services that are enforceable EU rights.

**ECF determinations** - this is the decision taken on an application by the LAA ECF Team. Decision results are to either Positive Preliminary View, Grant, Refuse or Reject an application.

**ECF granted** - An ECF application can only be granted if:

- the exceptional case criteria are met, and
- the relevant criteria set out in the Civil Legal Aid (Merits Criteria) Regulations are met, and
- the relevant criteria set out in the Civil Legal Aid (Financial Resources and Payment for Services) Regulations are met

**ECF new applications** – this is the first application in relation to a particular set of proceedings.

**ECF positive preliminary view** - this is only viable on ECF applications made directly by the client, prior to a full ECF Application being received in conjunction with a Legal Aid provider.

**ECF refuse** – The application was assessed by the LAA ECF Team and the determination is to Refuse. ECF criteria were not met, so the application is refused with details for refusal provided.

**ECF reject** – The application was assessed by the LAA ECF Team and the determination is to Reject. Either the application was in scope for a non exceptional legal aid application, or not enough information has been provided in the application to make a determination, so the application is rejected with details for rejection provided.

**ECF review applications** – this relates to a request for an internal review of a determination previously made by the LAA ECF team.

**Either way offence:** An offence which can be tried either before the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court. The appropriate venue is determined at a Mode of Trial hearing at the magistrates’ court. If the magistrates determine that the matter is too serious or complex for summary trial, they can commit it to the Crown Court. If the magistrates determine that the case is suitable for summary trial, the defendant can elect for trial by jury.

**Help at Court:** Enables a solicitor or advisor to speak at a court or tribunal on an informal basis e.g. to argue that an order should not be enforced immediately. **Indictable offence:** A criminal offence that can only be tried in the Crown Court.

**Interests of justice test:** The test is applied to criminal cases as part of the process to determine whether a client receives criminal legal aid. The provision of publicly funded representation is usually deemed to be in the interests of justice when the case is so serious that if the defendant is found guilty they are likely to face imprisonment, loss of livelihood or loss of reputation, where there are substantial questions of law to be argued, or the defendant is a minor, mentally handicapped, cannot speak English, or is otherwise incapable of following proceedings.

**Legal Help:** A form of civil legal services which includes advice and assistance about a legal problem, but does not include representation or advocacy in proceedings (also see Controlled work).

**Licensed Work:** Work under the civil contract that covers all legal representation (representation by solicitors and barristers for civil cases which could go to court) except work covered by Controlled Work or VHCC, which are managed under separate contracts.

**Litigators’ Graduated Fee Scheme (LGFS):** The fee scheme which governs fees paid to solicitors who represent clients in criminal proceedings in the Crown Court, other than in cases which have been classified as Very High Cost (Criminal) Cases. Payment is determined by proxy measures, the type of offence, pages of prosecution evidence, and number of days of trial.

**Means test:** The process by which an assessment of clients’ financial eligibility for public funding is made.

**Merits test:** The aim of the merits test is to ensure that only cases with reasonable prospects of success receive legal aid. The test does this by seeking to replicate the decision making process that somebody who pays privately would make when deciding whether to bring, defend or continue to pursue proceedings.

**New matter starts:** A matter refers to an instance of help given by a service provider to a legal aid client under Controlled Work and does not cover representation at court.

**Referral Providers:** The LAA does not currently contract directly with referral providers such as barristers and experts. Whilst contracted providers will in most cases seek prior authority from the LAA for payment of barristers and experts, it is the contracted provider who chooses when to instruct a referral provider and which barrister or expert to instruct. Referral providers are paid for each piece of work either directly by the LAA in the case of barristers, or via the contracted providers in the case of experts.

**Very High Cost Cases (VHCC):** extensive evidence reviewed and case prepared by solicitor. Senior counsel (QC) often presents. Annex B - Explanatory notes

The statistics in this bulletin relate to work by the LAA in England and Wales during 12 months ending March 2014.

Data Sources and Data Quality

This section outlines the different data sources used to compile the statistics presented in the bulletin with discussion on data quality where relevant. The main sources of the statistics are compiled from administrative systems designed for the accurate management of the legal aid system.

There are many administrative systems used to create the statistics covering each of the main areas of legal aid:

Within crime higher figures are drawn from two systems, one for LGFS (Crown Court Legal Fees – CCLF) and another for AGFS (Crown Court Remuneration – CCR) they respectively provide the spend and work provided information for much of the Crime Higher data. High cost case information is drawn from the Complex Crime Unit (CCU) and their administrative system.

For Crime Lower data is taken from the Contracted Work and Admin system and supported with information from the Means Assessment Admin Tool (MAAT) giving information on the granting of legal aid.

For Civil Representation the figures are obtained from the Corporate Information Store (CIS), Client and case management system (CCMS) and their associated supporting systems.

For Legal Help, information is provided by the CWA system and its management information.

While the majority of information is held within source administrative systems some information is provided from other non-database sources including data on telephone advice, community legal advice centres and the housing court duty solicitor scheme.

The annual account figures used within this report are audited on a regular basis by the National Audit Office. Other numbers provided in this report use the same methodology as those used to produce the annual account figures and are continuously quality assured by the LAA. Figures are compared to other sources of data where possible, random individual case checks are performed and comparisons with other internal reports undertaken.

Revisions

In accordance with Principle 2 of the Code of Practice for Office Statistics, the MoJ is required to publish transparent guidance on its policy for revisions. A copy of this statement can be found at: www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/statistics/mojstats/statistics-revisions-policy.pdf The three reasons specified for statistics needing to be revised are changes in sources of administrative systems or methodology changes, receipt of subsequent information, and errors in statistical systems and processes. Each of these points, and its specific relevance to the legal aid statistics publication, are addressed below:

*Changes in source of administrative systems or methodology changes*

The data within this publication come from a variety of administrative systems. The document will present where there have been revisions to data accountable to switches in methodology or administrative systems with statistics affected within the publication appropriately footnoted.

*Receipt of subsequent information*

The nature of any administrative system is that data may be received late. For the purpose of this criminal justice statistics publication, the late data will be reviewed on a quarterly basis but, unless it is deemed to make significant changes to the statistics released; revisions will only be made as part of the final release containing the year’s statistics. Should the review show that the late data has had a major impact on the statistics then revisions will be released as part of the subsequent publication.

*Errors in statistical systems and processes*

Occasionally errors can occur in statistical processes; procedures are constantly reviewed to minimise this risk. Should a significant error be found the publication on the website will be updated and an errata slip published documenting the revision.

*Uses of the statistics*

The main users of these statistics are departmental teams responsible for coordinating responses and requests to FOIs and PQs, Ministers and officials with responsibility for developing policy. The statistics are used to monitor the overall workload figures for the legal aid system.

*Official Statistics*

This Statistical Release is published at 9.30am on a date which has been pre-announced on the United Kingdom Statistics Authority Publication Hub (http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html).

A list of officials who have received pre-release access to this Statistical Release up to 24 hours in advance of publication is available on the Department’s website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/statistics#publication-schedule)

*Next Publication*

The next release, Legal Aid Statistics Quarterly, will be released in September 2014. Annex C - Contact points for further information

Press enquiries on the contents of this bulletin should be directed to the Ministry of Justice press office:

Andrew McGill Tel: 020 3334 3524 Email: Andrew.McGill@justice.gsi.gov.uk

Other enquiries about these statistics should be directed to:

Mike Elkins Chief Statistician Justice Statistics Analytical Services Ministry of Justice 7th Floor 102 Petty France London SW1H 9AJ Tel: 020 3334 2946 Email: statistics.enquiries@justice.gsi.gov.uk

General enquiries about the statistical work of the Ministry of Justice can be e-mailed to: statistics.enquiries@justice.gsi.gov.uk

General information about the official statistics system of the UK is available from www.statistics.gov.uk